First homoleptic MIC and heteroleptic NHC–MIC coordination cages from 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene-bridged tris-MIC and tris-NHC ligands

The preparation of a triphenylbenzene-bridged tris-(1,2,3-triazolium) salt allowed us to obtain the first homoleptic tris-MIC cylinder-like cages of Ag and Au. The silver MIC-based cage reacts with the tris-NHC-Ag analogue to form the corresponding heteroleptic NHC-MIC silver cage in an unusual reaction involving the simultaneous exchange of the tris-NHC and tris-MIC ligands.