Guest capture, storage and removal in the TATM host framework: a single-crystal study

The organic host molecule, tris(5-acetyl-3-thienyl)methane (TATM) is known to form a variety of van der Waals inclusion compounds. Surprisingly, this host framework has been shown to be stable despite near-complete guest loss. In the present study we examine the degree to which guests can be removed from the host cavities without framework collapse, as well as the ability of the depleted host framework to re-adsorb guest molecules, including adsorption of a two-component mixture of guests, all in a host system that has no channels for transport. The response of the host framework to changes in guest content is reported as well.