Generation of cluster capsules (Ih) from decomposition products of a smaller cluster (Keggin-Td) while surviving ones get encapsulated: species with core–shell topology formed by a fundamental symmetry-driven reaction

A novel and fundamental reaction system of matter following a type of ‘supramolecular Darwinism’ leads to the formation of giant spherical nano-sized cluster capsules as kinetically controlled destination having the highest possible symmetry (Ih) and formed directly from the decomposition products of the well known but less symmetrical Keggin anions (Td) in aqueous medium in the presence of FeIII–acting as a type of environmental influence–under conditions where Keggin anions are known to be extremely stable; remarkably the remaining non-decomposed Keggin anions finally get (non-covalently) encapsulated protected by the formed spherical capsules of the new supramolecular compound [PMo12O40 ⊂ {(MoVI)MoVI5}12 FeIII30O252- (H2O)102(MeCO2)15]· xH2O 1 1a ·xH2O (x ≈ 120).