Threefold symmetric hexa-cationic hydrazone cages coordinate a range of transition metal ions upon deprotonation. When the cage contains ethyl solubilising groups the expected threefold symmetric cag...

   Investigadores del Instituto Interuniversitario de Investigación de Reconocimiento...

Molecular cages are versatile supramolecular architectures with applications in guest encapsulation, catalysis and sensing. This study reports the first Pd2L4 cage where vertices are bridged by -(CF2)...

Molecular cages are readily adaptable supramolecular structures with outstanding potential for multiple purposes. Cages have well-defined cavities that enable precise guest encapsulation, offering unique opportunities in sensing, catalysis, environmental and biological applications, among others. Recent advances in the field have demonstrated how the structural versatility of molecular cages — including all-organic and metal–organic architectures — allows the design of systems with tailored functionality. Innovative uses span from simple host–guest applications for the selective encapsulation of chemical species, to more sophisticated approaches aiming to mimic biological systems. This review gives a general overview of the field, focusing on the advances in the last 3 years, and emphasizing how the design of molecular cages to achieve specific functionalities is opening frontiers in innovative applications.