Metal‐Organic Cages for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Metal‐organic cages (MOCs) have uniquely discrete structures, inner cavities and non‐covalent encapsulating capabilities for guests. Recently, MOCs have emerged as potential candidates with multimode biomedical functions. In this review, the application of MOCs in biomedical fields is surveyed from four aspects: anticancer activities, drug carriers, sensing agents, and photodynamic therapy (PDT).

A photoactive Ir–Pd bimetallic cage with high singlet oxygen yield for efficient one/two-photon activated photodynamic therapy

“…17 Nevertheless, up to now, MOCs comprising Ir( iii ) units for accurate targeting in subcellular organelles have been barely explored. 14,18…”

Nanoscale covalent organic frameworks as theranostic platforms for oncotherapy: synthesis, functionalization, and applications

“…[11][12][13][14] Rapid developments in nanomaterials and nanotechnology have provided a vast material reservoir for use in cancer nanomedicine, which mainly include mesoporous silica, 15 metal chalcogenides, 16 upconversion materials, 17 MXenes, 18,19 carbonbased materials, 20,21 semiconducting polymers, 22,23 and liposomes. 24 The design, synthesis, and applications of advanced porous materials with specic structures at the micron-and nanoscales have been a research hotspot in various scientic elds; [25][26][27][28][29][30] further, the development of porous materials ranging from traditional inorganic materials (such as zeolites, silicas, and activated carbons) to organic-inorganic hybrid porous materials (such as metal-organic cages (MOCs), 31 coordination polymers (CPs), 32 and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)). [33][34][35] Among them, MOFs are crystalline materials formed by the selfassembly of organic ligands and metal ions (or clusters) through coordination bonds.…”

Modeling Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Guest Encapsulation into the [M4L6]12– Supramolecular Organometallic Cage

“… 4 − 8 They have been extensively studied because of their interesting structures that account with a variety of topologies and well-defined shapes at the nanoscale. The capability for tailoring the cavities of the SOCs has led to develop a rich host–guest chemistry with many applications such as recognition of specific molecular targets, 9 the purification of product mixtures, 10 gas sorption, 11 , 12 biomedicine, 13 and catalysis. 5 …”