Amine-Based MOF for Precious Metal Remediation.

Due to the continuous growth rate of the electronic industry, hi-tech companies depend on mining and extracting precious metals to meet the public demand. The high turnover of modern devices generates an alarming amount of electronic waste (e-waste), which contains more precious metals than mined ores and therefore needs efficient recovery procedures. A highly stable homopiperazine-derived Cd-MOF, poly-[Cd(H2L)]·9H2O, with a protonated amine ligand core, exists as a twofold interpenetrated 3D framework with 1D channels into which the N+-H bond is directed. The geometry of these channels appears to be suitable to host square planar metalate complexes. Under acidic conditions, [MCl4]x- anions containing Au, Cu, Ni, and Pt, representing common components of e-waste under extraction conditions, were tested for capture and recovery. Cd-MOF exhibits remarkable selectivity and uptake performance toward Au with an adsorbent capacity of 25 mg g-1ads and shows a marked selectivity for Au over Cu in competitive experiments. The adsorption mechanism of Au appears to be predominantly physical adsorption at the surface of the material.

Enhancing Multicomponent Metal-Organic Frameworks for Low Pressure Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier Separations.

The resurgence of interest in the hydrogen economy could hinge on the distribution of hydrogen in a safe and efficient manner. Whilst great progress has been made with cryogenic hydrogen storage or liquefied ammonia, liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) remain attractive due to their lack of need for cryogenic temperatures or high pressures, most commonly a cycle between methylcyclohexane and toluene. Oxidation of methylcyclohexane to release hydrogen will be more efficient if the equilibrium limitations can be removed by separating the mixture. This report describes a family of six ternary and quaternary multicomponent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that contain the three-dimensional cubane-1,4-dicarboxylate (cdc) ligand. Of these MOFs, the most promising is a quaternary MOF (CUB-30), comprising cdc, 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylate (bpdc) and tritopic truxene linkers. Contrary to conventional wisdom that adsorptive interactions with larger, hydrocarbon guests are dominated by π-π interactions, here we report that contoured aliphatic pore environments can exhibit high selectivity and capacity for LOHC separations at low pressures. This is the first time, to the best of our knowledge, where selective adsorption for cyclohexane over benzene is witnessed, underlining the unique adsorptive behavior afforded by the unconventional cubane moiety.

CUB-5: A Contoured Aliphatic Pore Environment in a Cubic Framework with Potential for Benzene Separation Applications.

One prominent aspect of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) is the ability to tune the size, shape, and chemical characteristics of their pores. MOF-5, with its open cubic connectivity of Zn4O clusters joined by two-dimensional, terephthalate linkers, is the archetypal example: both functionalized and elongated linkers produce isoreticular frameworks that define pores with new shapes and chemical environments. The recent scalable synthesis of cubane-1,4-dicarboxylic acid (1,4-H2cdc) allows the first opportunity to explore its application in leading reticular architectures. Herein we describe the use of 1,4-H2cdc to construct [Zn4O(1,4-cdc)3], referred to as CUB-5. Isoreticular with MOF-5, CUB-5 adopts a cubic architecture but features aliphatic, rather than aromatic, pore surfaces. Methine units point directly into the pores, delivering new and unconventional adsorption locations. Our results show that CUB-5 is capable of selectively adsorbing high amounts of benzene at low partial pressures, promising for future investigations into the industrial separation of benzene from gasoline using aliphatic MOF materials. These results present an effective design strategy for the generation of new MOF materials with aliphatic pore environments and properties previously unattainable in conventional frameworks.

Anisotropic Thermal and Guest-Induced Responses of an Ultramicroporous Framework with Rigid Linkers.

The interdependent effects of temperature and guest uptake on the structure of the ultramicroporous metal-organic framework [Cu3 (cdm)4 ] (cdm=C(CN)2 (CONH2 )- ) were explored in detail by using in situ neutron scattering and density functional theory calculations. The tetragonal lattice displays an anisotropic thermal response related to a hinged "lattice-fence" mechanism, unusual for this topology, which is facilitated by pivoting of the rigid cdm anion about the Cu nodes. Calculated pore-size metrics clearly illustrate the potential for temperature-mediated adsorption in ultramicroporous frameworks due to thermal fluctuations of the pore diameter near the value of the target guest kinetic diameter, though in [Cu3 (cdm)4 ] this is counteracted by a competing contraction of the pore with increasing temperature as a result of the anisotropic lattice response.

Coordination Chemistry and Structural Dynamics of a Long and Flexible Piperazine-Derived Ligand.

A long and highly flexible internally functionalized dipyridyl ligand α,α'-p-xylylenebis(1-(4-pyridylmethylene)-piper-4-azine), L, has been employed in the synthesis of a series of coordination polymer materials with Co(II), Cd(II), and Ag(I) ions. In poly-[Cd(L)(TPA)] 1 and poly-[Co(L)(IPA)], 2, (TPA = terephthalate, IPA = isophthalate) the ligand adopts a similar linear conformation to that seen in the structure of the unbound molecule and provides a long (2.6 nm) metal-metal bridging distance. Due to the mismatch of edge lengths with that provided by the carboxylate coligands, geometric distortions from the regular dia and (4,4) network geometries for 1 and 2, respectively, are observed. In poly-[Ag2(CF3SO3)2(L)], 3, the ligand coordinates through both pyridine groups and two of the four piperazine nitrogen donors, forming a high-connectivity 2-dimensional network. The compound poly-[Ag2(L)](BF4)2·2MeCN, 4, a porous 3-dimensional cds network, undergoes a fascinating and rapid single-crystal-to-single-crystal rearrangement on exchange of the acetonitrile guests for water in ambient air, forming a nonporous hydrated network poly-[Ag2(L)](BF4)2·2H2O, 5, in which the well-ordered guest water molecules mediate the rearrangement of the tetrafluoroborate anions and the framework itself through hydrogen bonding. The dynamics of the system are examined in greater detail through the preparation of a kinetic product, the dioxane-solvated species poly-[Ag2(L)](BF4)2·2C4H8O2, 6, which undergoes a slow conversion to 5 over the course of approximately 16 h, a transition which can be monitored in real time. The reverse transformation can also be observed on immersing the hydrate 5 in dioxane. The structural features and physical properties of each of the materials can be rationalized based on the flexible and multifunctional nature of the ligand molecule, as well as the coordination behavior of the chosen metal ions.

Porous Polyrotaxane Coordination Networks Containing Two Distinct Conformers of a Discontinuously Flexible Ligand.

A new divergent homopiperazine-derived ligand N,N'-bis(4-carboxyphenyl)-1,4-diazacycloheptane H2L has been prepared, containing a semirigid saturated heterocyclic core which is capable of providing multiple distinct bridging geometries. Reaction of H2L with zinc acetate in DMSO gives a two-dimensional parallel interpenetrated polyrotaxane structure 1 in which the loops and rods are formed by the bent cis-(eq,ax) twist boat and trans-(ax,ax) twist chair conformers, respectively. By matching the distances between the solvated metal sites in the structure of 1, a related material 2 can be prepared incorporating the pillaring ligand trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene bpe. Compound 2 displays a similar polyrotaxane interpenetration mode, permitted by the presence of both cis and trans ligand conformers, but displays a three-dimensional 2.69 topology related to the dia diamondoid network. The guest exchange and gas adsorption properties of both materials were investigated; while compound 1 displays poor stability to guest exchange and negligible gas uptake, the higher connectivity microporous compound 2 shows facile guest exchange and a surprisingly high CO2 capacity of 12 wt % at 1 bar and 273 K, and a zero-loading enthalpy of adsorption of -32 kJ mol-1. High-pressure adsorption isotherms also show moderate physisorption of H2 and CH4 within the material.

Synthesis and structure of new lanthanoid carbonate "lanthaballs".

New insights into the synthesis of high-nuclearity polycarbonatolanthanoid complexes have been obtained from a detailed investigation of the preparative methods that initially yielded the so-called "lanthaballs" [Ln(13)(ccnm)(6)(CO(3))(14)(H(2)O)(6)(phen)(18)] Cl(3)(CO(3))·25H(2)O [α-1Ln; Ln = La, Ce, Pr; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline; ccnm = carbamoylcyanonitrosomethanide]. From this investigation, we have isolated a new pseudopolymorph of the cerium analogue of the lanthaball, [Ce(13)(ccnm)(6)(CO(3))(14)(H(2)O)(6)(phen)(18)]·C(l3)·CO(3) (ß-1Ce). This new pseudopolymorph arose from a preparation in which fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide generated the carbonate, and the ccnm ligand was formed in situ by the nucleophilic addition of water to dicyanonitrosomethanide. From a reaction of cerium(III) nitrate, instead of the previously used chloride salt, with (Et4N)(ccnm), phen, and NaHCO(3) in aqueous methanol, the new complex Na[Ce(13)(ccnm)(6)(CO(3))(14)(H(2)O)(6)(phen)(18)](NO(3))(6)·20H(2)O (2Ce) crystallized. A variant of this reaction in which sodium carbonate was initially added to Ce(NO(3))(3), followed by phen and (Et(4)N)(ccnm), also gave 2Ce. However, an analogous preparation with (Me4N)(ccnm) gave a mixture of crystals of 2Ce and the coordination polymer [CeNa(ccnm)4(phen)3]·MeOH (3), which were manually separated. The use of cerium(III) acetate in place of cerium nitrate in the initial preparation did not give a high-nuclearity complex but a new coordination polymer, [Ce(ccnm)(OAc)(2)(phen)] (4). The first lanthaball to incorporate neodymium, namely, [Nd(13)(ccnm)(4)(CO(3))14(NO(3))(4)(H(2)O)(7)(phen)(15)](NO(3))(3)·10H(2)O (5Nd), was isolated from a preparation similar to that of the second method used for 2Ce, and its magnetic properties showed an antiferromagnetic interaction. The identity of all products was established by X-ray crystallography.

Post-synthetic monovalent central-metal exchange, specific I2†sensing, and polymerization of a catalytic [3×3] grid of [Cu(II)5Cu(I)4L6]⋠(I)2⋠13 H2O.

From a predesigned grid, [Cu(II)5Cu(I)4L6]⋅(I)2⋅13 H2O (1), in which LH2 was a pyrazinyl-triazolyl-2,6-substituted pyridine, we successfully synthesized an extended 3D complex, (1)∞[{Cu(II)5Cu(I)8L6}{µ-[Cu(I)3(CN)6]}2⋅2 CH3-CN] (2), that displayed unprecedented coexistence of all the five known coordination geometries of copper. Grid 1 displayed monovalent central metal exchange (CME) of Cu(I) for Ag(I) for the first time, as well as the formation of tri-iodide in the crystalline state. These systems were investigated for their magnetic properties. Remarkably, grid 1 showed much higher catalytic activity than the Ag-exchanged product for synthesis of a substituted triazole, 1-benzyl-4-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazole.

Syntheses of pentanuclear group 6 iridium clusters by core expansion of tetranuclear clusters with Ir(CO)2(η5-C5Me4R) (R = H, Me).

Metal cluster core expansion at tetrahedral group 6-group 9 mixed-metal clusters MIr3(µ-CO)3(CO)8(η(5)-L) (M = W, Mo, L = C5H5; M = Mo, L = C5Me5) with the iridium capping reagents Ir(CO)2(η(5)-L') (L' = C5Me5, C5Me4H) in refluxing toluene afforded the trigonal-bipyramidal clusters MIr4(µ-CO)3(CO)7(η(5)-C5H5)(η(5)-L') (M = Mo, L' = C5Me5, 1a; M = W, L' = C5Me5, 1b; M = Mo, L' = C5Me4H, 1c; M = W, L' = C5Me4H, 1d) and MoIr4(µ3-H)(µ-CO)2(µ-η(1):η(5)-CH2C5Me4)(CO)7(η(5)-C5Me5) (2). Related reactions with M2Ir2(µ-CO)3(CO)7(η(5)-L)2 (M = W, Mo, L = C5H5; M = Mo, L = C5Me5) afforded M2Ir3(µ-CO)3(CO)6(η(5)-C5H5)2(η(5)-L') (M = Mo, L' = C5Me5, 3a; M = W, L' = C5Me5, 3b; M = Mo, L' = C5Me4H, 3c; M = W, L' = C5Me4H, 3d), W2Ir3(µ-CO)4(CO)5(η(5)-C5H5)2(η(5)-C5Me4H) (4), and Mo2Ir3(µ-CO)3(CO)6(η(5)-C5Me5)3 (5). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of 1a-1d, 2, 3a-3d, and 4 confirmed their molecular structures, including the µ-η(1):η(5)-CH2C5Me4 ligand at hydrido cluster 2, derived from a C-H bond activation of one of the methyl groups. Density functional theory (DFT) studies were employed to suggest the structure of 5. The redox behavior of the new clusters was examined through cyclic voltammetry; all clusters exhibit oxidation and reduction processes (with respect to the resting state), with the oxidation processes being the more reversible, and increasingly so on decreasing Ir content of the clusters, replacing W by Mo, and increasing alkylation of the cyclopentadienyl ligands. In situ IR and UV-vis-near-IR spectroelectrochemical studies of the reversible oxidation processes in 1a and 3a were undertaken, with the spectra of the former suggesting progression to an all-terminal CO geometry concomitant with the first oxidation and a significant structural change upon the second oxidation step. DFT studies of 1a revealed that its crystallographically-confirmed Mo-equatorial core geometry is essentially isoenergetic with a possible Mo-apical isomer, and identified several bridging CO structures for the charged states.

Coordination polymers of small cyano anions.

Small cyano anions, and their derivatives, have proved to be remarkably versatile building blocks for coordination polymers. They have led to magnetically ordered materials, structures with new entangled motifs or novel topologies, and a significant structural diversity, including polymorphism, induced by subtle changes in anion, cation, co-ligands, preparative conditions, or even desolvation.

Temperature-dependent capture of water molecules by saddle-shaped hexanuclear carboxylate cycloclusters in a (3,18)-connected metal-organic framework.

A new (3,18)-connected 3D metal-organic framework [Co(PYNT)(H(2)O)(2)](n) (ZZU-1) (H(2)PYNT=5-(3'-carboxylphenyl) nicotic acid) has been reported. Amazingly, ZZU-1 captures water molecules and transforms into the hydrated framework {[Co(3)(PYNT)(3)(H(2)O)(6)]⋅H(2)O}(n) (ZZU-2) at 160 °C in refluxing hydrated DMF, but not at 100 °C in refluxing neat water or from the solvothermal synthesis conducted at 90 °C.

Lanthanoid-based ionic liquids incorporating the dicyanonitrosomethanide anion.

A series of low-melting-point salts with hexakisdicyanonitrosomethanidolanthanoidate anions has been synthesised and characterised: (C(2) mim)(3) [Ln(dcnm)(6)] (1 Ln; 1 Ln=1 La, 1 Ce, 1 Pr, 1 Nd), (C(2) C(1) mim)(3) [Pr(dcnm)(6)] (2 Pr), (C(4) C(1) pyr)(3) [Ce(dcnm)(6)] (3 Ce), (N(1114))(3) [Ln(dcnm)(6)] (4 Ln; 4 Ln=4 La, 4 Ce, 4 Pr, 4 Nd, 4 Sm, 4 Gd), and (N(1112OH) )(3) [Ce(dcnm)(6)] (5 Ce) (C(2) mim=1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium, C(2) C(1) mim=1-ethyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium, C(4) C(1) py=N-butyl-4-methylpyridinium, N(1114) =butyltrimethylammonium, N(1112OH) =2-(hydroxyethyl)trimethylammonium=choline). X-ray crystallography was used to determine the structures of complexes 1 La, 2 Pr, and 5 Ce, all of which contain [Ln(dcnm)(6)](3-) ions. Complexes 1 Ln and 2 Pr were all ionic liquids (ILs), with complex 3 Ce melting at 38.1 °C, the lowest melting point of any known complex containing the [Ln(dcnm)(6)](3-) trianion. The ammonium-based cations proved to be less suitable for forming ILs, with complexes 4 Sm and 4 Gd being the only salts with the N(1114) cation to have melting points below 100 °C. The choline-containing complex 5 Ce did not melt up to 160 °C, with the increase in melting point possibly being due to extensive hydrogen bonding, which could be inferred from the crystal structure of the complex.

An exceptional 54-fold interpenetrated coordination polymer with 10(3)-srs network topology.

Entanglement is one of the most important features of coordination polymer frameworks and has attracted considerable attention due to its aesthetic and topological interest. Among entangled systems, interpenetrating frameworks represent an intriguing subset; however, there are few examples of materials containing very high levels of interpenetration. In this work a coordination polymer with 10(3)-srs topology, constructed from a star-like tridentate ligand, tri(4-imidazolylphenyl)amine, and Ag(I) ions, has been hydrothermally synthesized. It contains a record 54 interpenetrating networks.

Coordination polymers of hexacyanotrimethylenecyclopropanediide and its monoanionic radical: synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties.

The first examples of polymeric complexes that contain the polynitrile dianion hexacyanotrimethylenecyclopropanediide (HCTMCP(2-)) were isolated and their magnetic properties have been explored. Complexes of the form (n-TBA)(2)[M(HCTMCP)(2)(H(2)O)(2)] (1) (M = Mn(II), Fe(II), Co(II), Cd(II)) possess (4,4) sheet structures with large cavities that contain the tetra-n-butylammonium (n-TBA) countercations. Synthesis using sodium as the countercation yields a family of products with the general form [M(S)(4)M(S)(2)(HCTMCP)(2)] (S = EtOH, M = Fe(II) (2); S = MeOH, M = Co(II) or Zn(II) (3)). These complexes adopt a variety of two-dimensional (2D) structures. The complex [Mn(3)(HCTMCP)(2)(H(2)O)(12)](HCTMCP)·6(H(2)O) (4) contains cationic (6,3) sheets with the counteranion and solvent molecules encapsulated within the hexagonal windows. Complexes 1-4 display weak antiferromagnetic coupling in all cases. The first example of a complex that contains the CN-coordinated monoanionic radical HCTMCP (•-), [Cu(HCTMCP)(MeCN)(2)] (5) is described. This one-dimensional (1D) coordination polymer, containing tetrahedral Cu(I) centers, displays medium strength antiferromagnetic coupling that is mediated through π-interactions between the radical anions on adjacent chains.

Unprecedented 4- and 6-connected 2D coordination networks based on 4(4)-subnet tectons, showing unusual supramolecular motifs of rotaxane and helix.

Two unprecedented 2D coordination polymers with 4- and 6-connected topological nets, arising from the different linkages of two adjacent 4(4) layers, were prepared from Co(II), 1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)propane, and different isophthalate tectons.

An unusual 3D entangled Co(II) coordination polymer directed by ferromagnetic molecular building block.

A fascinating 3D entangled metal-organic framework, namely, {[Co(2)(bcp)(2)]·3H(2)O}(n) (1), was obtained through the solvothermal generation of flexible and long dicarboxylate (bcp) and metal salt. The crystal structure contains a 1D metal chain with bcp ligands wrapped around it in a wavy line and features an unusual entangled topological net. Furthermore, the magnetic behavior of 1 was also studied and indicated the existence of ferromagnetic interaction and long-range ordering character.

Coordination polymers of a bis-isophthalate bridging ligand with single molecule magnet behaviour of the CoII analogue.

A linear diamine-bisisophthalate bridging linker N,N'-bis(1,3-dicarboxyphenyl-5-methylene)-1,3-dimethylpropanediamine, designed to incorporate amine/ammonium functionalities in the core of the ligand, has been isolated as the pentahydrate of its dihydrochloride salt (H6L)Cl2·5H2O. Using this compound, four new coordination polymers have been formed, namely poly-[M(H2L)]·4.5H2O (1M, where M = Co, Zn, Cd) and poly-[Cd(H2L)(OH2)]·DMF·7H2O (2). Compounds 1M are isostructural 2D coordination polymers that contain 1D channels occupied by water molecules. In the case of 1Co these form a well ordered hydrogen-bonding network as determined by single crystal X-ray studies. Compound 2, synthesised under similar conditions, is a 1D coordination polymer in which the metal is partially solvated. DC and AC magnetic studies of 1Co, which posseses a mononuclear cobalt(ii) node, revealed single molecule magnet behaviour (SMM) with an effective barrier height Ueff of 37.7 K and τ0 = 1.02 × 10-9 s, among the highest reported for CoII coordination polymers.

Mixed donor, phenanthroline photoactive MOFs with favourable CO2 selectivity.

Mixed donor phenanthroline-carboxylate linkers were combined with MnII or ZnII to form photoactive MOFs with large pore apertures. The MOFs display high CO2 adsorption capacities, which consequently causes structural framework flexibility, and align with favorable metrics for selective CO2 capture. The photophysical properties of the MOFs were investigated, with the MnII MOF giving rise to short triplet LMCT lifetimes.

Octapi interactions: self-assembly of a Pd-based [2]catenane driven by eightfold pi interactions.

An unprecedented 2.5 nm array of pi interactions between eight aromatic rings drives the formation of a [2]catenane. Disruption of this array through the use of longer ligands results in the formation of only single, uncatenated rings. The catenated complex is shown to persist in solution alongside its constituent metallomacrocycles.

Lanthaballs: chiral, structurally layered polycarbonate tridecanuclear lanthanoid clusters.

New balls please! The viability of using carbonate as the primary anion in cluster formation is demonstrated in the synthesis of 'lanthaballs', spherical tridecanuclear lanthanoid complexes with a novel [Ln(CO(3))(6)] moiety in a [Ln(13)(CO(3))(14)] core (see picture). The chirality of the lanthaballs is evidenced in the configuration of extended columns of pi-stacked phenanthroline ligands. The structural and magnetic properties of lanthaballs are investigated.