Supramolecular synthesis of coumarin derivatives catalyzed by a coordination-assembled cage in aqueous solution

A self-assembled Pd₄L₂ cage is employed as a water-soluble molecular flask for the synthesis of functionalized coumarins from a series of salicylaldehyde derivatives and cyanoacetates/malononitrile. The catalytic reaction features mild aqueous conditions and broad substrate scope. Crystal structures of the host-guest complexes for two substrates and one analogous intermediate have been obtained, shedding light on the supramolecular reaction mechanism. Michaelis-Menten kinetic studies were performed in one typical case, revealing that the rate of product formation has been enhanced by over 23-fold in contrast to the background reaction without cage. Moreover, the same reaction catalyzed by a smaller Pd₆L₄ cage gives a mixture of products and much lower yields, suggesting that fine-tuning on the size and symmetry of the cages' cavity is crucial for their applications in supramolecular catalysis.