Metallohosts with a Heart of Carbon

Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies have confirmed that Ni₃S₃-based molecular bowls prepared in one-pot reactions capture either CH₂Cl₂ or C₆₀. The nature of the pendant substituents (naphthalen-2-ylmethyl, benzyl, or ethyl) around the rim of the bowl dictates the formation of a 1:1 (bowl host–C₆₀ guest) or 2:1 (capsule host–C₆₀ guest) architecture. In CDCl₃, the trimeric complexes were found to be in equilibrium with dimeric analogues. For the naphthalen-2-ylmethyl-substituted host, NMR spectroscopic titration data confirmed a 1:1 host–C₆₀ guest complex in 1,2-Cl₂C₆D₄ solution.