文摘
The self-assembly of C<sub>ssub>-symmetric tetrapyridyl cobalt鈥搈etalloligand 2 with three half-sandwich diruthenium acceptors, 3鈥?b>5, led to the formation of A<sub>4sub>D<sub>2sub> (A = acceptor, D = donor) metallacages 6鈥?b>8, as shown by ESI mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. The solid-state structures of 6鈥?b>8 revealed that the length of the acceptor unit greatly influences the molecular packing of these metallacages. Hence, in the solid state, 6鈥?b>8 can be considered to have waterwheel-shaped, tweezer-shaped, and butterfly-like architectures, respectively.