Cocrystals for sequestering and separating large PAHs.

A first-generation constitutional dynamic library of highly adaptive boroxine organic assemblies forms PAH cocrystals that can separate up to three large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons via a shrink-wrap templating mechanism.

• Why it matters: Large PAHs are difficult to isolate, and the field needs host systems that can both sequester and discriminate among multiple PAH sizes and shapes during assembly.
• What they did: The boroxine organic assemblies (derived from a boronic acid and a linear alkene) were used as a CDL to assemble host–guest cocrystals, where PAH electronic properties, shape, and size drive configurational and conformational isomerism.
• The result: The CDL enabled separation of up to three different PAHs and produced cocrystals with tunable electronic properties, including a solid where alkenes from two different BOAs undergo [2 + 2] photocycloaddition.

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