金属-有机笼状化合物MOC-16是一例具有理想空腔结构并可以在水相和非水相溶剂中稳定存在的十二面体超分子主体化合物。进一步研究结果表明，水相中的MOC-16分子可以通过疏水作用与各类尺寸匹配的有机分子发生主-客体包合作用。利用这一现象，将传统无机或有机合成过程引入到MOC-16的限域空间成为我们下一个关注点和研究方向。本项目拟以MOC-16为超分子主体，通过包合具有配位基团的有机分子以及加入无机金属离子，在其空腔内部或窗口位置的限域空间进行金属纳米团簇的可控合成。借助于MOC-16独特的化学空间微环境，一方面利用其模板效应，我们期望对金属纳米团簇的结构进行精细调控，获得结构新颖的团簇结构模型；另一方面利用其空间保护效应，从而获得常规条件下不容易稳定存在的金属纳米团簇或者其中间体，进而有望探讨和揭示特定类型金属纳米团簇的形成机制和反应机理。

Recently, we have reported a dodecahedron-shaped metal-organic cage (MOC-16) as supramolecular host complex, which has ideal cavity structure and can exist stably in aqueous and nonaqueous solutions. Further investigations demonstrate that the MOC-16 complex can encapsulate various of suitable organic molecules into its inner space through hydrophobic effect. By using this phenomenon, we move our focus to introduce the traditional bulky and mild inorganic or organic synthesis into the confined space of MOC-16. This project aims at controlled synthesis of metal nanoclusters in the confined space of inner cavity or portal sites using MOC-16 as host molecules, achieved by the sequential inclusion of coordinative organic molecules and addition of inorganic metal ions. Owing to the distinct chemical and spatial micro-environment of MOC-16, we can anticipate that the structures of metal nanoclusters are fine-tuned and novel metal nanocluster models are built by the templating effect. On the other hand, taking advantage of the spatial shielding effect of MOC-16, we expect the active metal nanoclusters or intermediates can be trapped and characterized that are not stable in common conditions, then further discuss and elucidate the formation and reaction mechanism of specific metal nanoclusters.