2020 Volume 75 Pages 13-27
Metal complexes are generally dynamic due to the reversibility of formation/cleavage of the coordination bonds. Therefore, metal complexes could be used as platforms for switchable functional molecules with dynamic structural changes. In order to achieve structural conversions as intended, finely designed organic frameworks as well as metal centers with appropriate lability are necessary. For this purpose, the author has focused on macrocyclic, acyclic, and cage-like oligosalen structures, which can incorporate multiple metal centers at desired positions. In this review, various kinds of dynamic structural conversions, such as helicity inversion of helical complexes and open/close functions of molecular cage structures, which were developed by the author and coworkers, are described.
