Before
ns-CB[10] was used to construct SOF, the binding between
ns-CB[10] and compound
G1 was studied. The crystal structure for the complex of
G1 and
ns-CB[10] revealed a 2:1 binding stoichiometry and the formation of [3]rotaxane. In the [3]rotaxane, the two butyl of
G1 were antiparallelly encapsulated in the two cavities of the
ns-CB[10] (
Fig. 4a), which was also confirmed in D
2O by
1H NMR spectroscopy (Fig. S13 in Supporting information). Next, compound
T1 and
ns-CB[10] was mixed to construct 3D SOF (
ns-SOF-Bu) (
Fig. 4b).
1H NMR spectra showed that compound
T1 formed complex with
ns-CB[10] with a 1:2 binding stoichiometry, which was confirmed by a maximum proton resonance upfield shift when 2.0 equivalent
ns-CB[10] was added (Fig. S14 in Supporting information). DLS experiments for the solution of
T1 and
ns-CB[10] (1:2) gave rise to a
DH ranging from 342 nm to 615 nm, depending on the concentration of the mixture ([
T1] = 0.03‒1.0 mmol/L), indicating the formation of nanostructures (
Fig. 4c). The structural ordering of
ns-SOF-Bu was investigated with synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). This scattering signal of
ns-SOF-Bu corresponded to the simulated {001} and {111} spacing 2.48 nm and 1.83 nm of a modeled network (
Figs. 4d and
e), simulated on the basis of the crystal structure of the 2:1 complex of
G1 and
ns-CB[10] and the interpenetrated crystal structure 1:2 complex of
T1 and CB[8] (SOF-Bu) [
34]. According to the larger structural characteristics of
ns-CB[10], the unit-cell parameters of modeled interpenetrated structure
ns-Bu-SOF are slightly larger than crystal structure SOF-Bu, and the aperture of the cyclohexane-like pore of interpenetrated
ns-Bu-SOF in modeled interpenetrated structure was measured to be 2.5 nm, larger than 2.1 nm of crystal structure of SOF-Bu [
34]. The SAED pattern of different microcrystals of
ns-SOF-Bu showed the {040} and {004} lattice spacings as being viewed from the [100] lattice direction (
Figs. 5a-d). Elemental mapping analysis of the microcrystals confirmed the compositions of the C, N, O, Br elements (Fig. S15 in Supporting information). All the above observations showed a high regularity of
ns-SOF-Bu in the solid state. The structural ordering of
ns-SOF-Bu in solution was also confirmed by SAXS, the scattering signal corresponded to the simulated {222} spacing 1.79 nm of a modeled network (
Fig. 4f). And referenced to literatures methods [
34], to test if the
ns-SOF-Bu formed non-interpenetrating pores in solution, dialysis experiments were carried out for two dyes acid red 27 and 4, 4′, 4′′, 4′′′-porphyrin-5, 10, 15, 20-tetrabenzoate (PTB, as sodium salt) using dialysis bags (MWCO: 1000 Da). The result showed that
ns-SOF-Bu was able to completely retained the dyes from escaping (≤1.0%) (Fig. S16 in Supporting information), indicating SOF was a porous structure in water. Therefore, a non-interpenetrated porous framework was formed in solution (
Fig. 5f). This solid of
ns-SOF-Bu by evaporation was also used to adsorb acid red 27, the adsorption percentage was 40%, which may be rationalized by considering partial formation of the interpenetrated structures (Fig. S17 in Supporting information).