Rapid and scalable synthesis of porous organic cages with solvent recyclability

Herein, we report the feasible synthesis of a series of porous organic cages (POCs, e.g., CC1, CC2, CC4, and CC3–OH) through a straightforward and effective dynamic solvent-mediated strategy. Notably, the preparation of POC nanocrystals can be significantly shortened from days/weeks (by traditional methods) to just 4 h, even at a large scale (around 2 g), due to the accelerated imine-bond formation. The easy-purification of POCs involving a filtration procedure also enables good solvent recyclability, which has been seldomly discussed in previous reports, but may be promising in potential industrial production. Moreover, the solvent media induce increased disorder of cage molecules within the nanocrystals, imparting expanded porosity with enhanced gas sorption property. Our finding may provide a universal tool for the synthesis and utilization of certain imine-based POCs, potentially advancing this field.