[Fe₄L₆]⁸⁺ Cages: Encapsulation and Catalytic Degradation of an Insecticide

Abstract

Chiral bis(diimine) ligands (derived from chiral enantiopure diamines and 2-formylpyridine) enantioselectively self-assemble with an iron (ii) salt to either the tetrahedral cage molecule ΔΔΔΔ-[Fe₄L₆]⁸⁺ or its enantiomer, ΛΛΛΛ-[Fe₄L₆]⁸⁺. These versatile water-soluble capsules are capable of binding a wide range of organic guests in their large hydrophobic cavities. Among these guests is the neurotoxic insecticide dichlorvos, for which the ΔΔΔΔ-[Fe₄L₆]⁸⁺ coordination capsule serves as a competent supramolecular catalyst for its hydrolysis.