Multicomponent supramolecular systems: self-organization in coordination-driven self-assembly.

The self-organization of multicomponent supramolecular systems involving a variety of two-dimensional (2 D) polygons and three-dimensional (3 D) cages is presented. Nine self-organizing systems, SS(1)-SS(9), have been studied. Each involves the simultaneous mixing of organoplatinum acceptors and pyridyl donors of varying geometry and their selective self-assembly into three to four specific 2 D (rectangular, triangular, and rhomboid) and/or 3 D (triangular prism and distorted and nondistorted trigonal bipyramidal) supramolecules. The formation of these discrete structures is characterized using NMR spectroscopy and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). In all cases, the self-organization process is directed by: 1) the geometric information encoded within the molecular subunits and 2) a thermodynamically driven dynamic self-correction process. The result is the selective self-assembly of multiple discrete products from a randomly formed complex. The influence of key experimental variables--temperature and solvent--on the self-correction process and the fidelity of the resulting self-organization systems is also described.