Jiang, ZhilongLi, YimingWang, MingSong, BoWang, KunSun, MingyuLiu, DieLi, XiaohongYuan, JieChen, MingzhaoGuo, YuanYang, XiaoyuZhang, TongMoorefield, Charles N.Newkome, GeorgeXu, BingqianLi, XiaopengWang, Pingshan2020-03-192020-03-192017-05Jiang, Z., Li, Y., Wang, M., Song, B., Wang, K., Sun, M., Liu, D., Li, X., Yuan, J., Chen, M., Guo, Y., Yang, X., Zhang, T., Moorefield, C. N., Newkome, G. R., Xu, B., Li, X., & Wang, P. (2017). Self-assembly of a supramolecular hexagram and a supramolecular pentagram. Nature Communications, 8(15476).2041-1723https://hdl.handle.net/10877/9464Five- and six-pointed star structures occur frequently in nature as flowers, snow-flakes, leaves and so on. These star-shaped patterns are also frequently used in both functional and artistic man-made architectures. Here following a stepwise synthesis and self-assembly approach, pentagonal and hexagonal metallosupramolecules possessing star-shaped motifs were prepared based on the careful design of metallo-organic ligands (MOLs). In the MOL design and preparation, robust ruthenium-terpyridyl complexes were employed to construct brominated metallo-organic intermediates, followed by a Suzuki coupling reaction to achieve the required ensemble. Ligand LA (VRu2+X, V=bisterpyridine, X=tetraterpyridine, Ru=Ruthenium) was initially used for the self-assembly of an anticipated hexagram upon reaction with Cd2+ or Fe2+; however, unexpected pentagonal structures were formed, that is,[Cd5LA5]30+ and [Fe5LA5]30+. In our redesign, LB [V(Ru2+X)2] was synthesized and treated with 60° V-shaped bis terpyridine< (V) and Cd2+ to create hexagonal hexagram [Cd12V3LB3]36+ along with traces of the triangle [Cd3V3]6+. Finally, a pure supramolecular hexagram [Fe12V3LB3]36+ was successfully isolated in a high yield using Fe2+ with a higher assembly temperature.Text9 pages1 file (.pdf)enArticle© 2017 The Author(s).https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15476This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.