Postsynthetic Defect Formation in Three-Dimensional Hofmann-Type Coordination Polymers and Its Impact on Catalytic Activity.

We report a systematic investigation of postsynthetic defect formation in Hofmann-type coordination polymers M(pz)[M'(CN)4] (M = Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+; M' = Pd2+, Pt2+; pz = pyrazine). These compounds readily undergo selective ligand exchange at the pyrazine site when immersed in methanol (MeOH) at ambient temperature. The ligand exchange changes the chemical formula to M(pz)1-x(MeOH)2x[M'(CN)4] (0 < x < 0.3), affording a defective coordination environment around the M ions. The defect concentration is highly dependent on the combination of the metal ions and solvent species, reaching the defect concentration of ca. 30% (x ∼ 0.3) at maximum. The magnetic state of one such coordination polymer gives an additional control of the defect formation, making the compound less susceptible to the ligand exchange at the low-spin state. Structures that form the defects at a high concentration function as catalysts and promote an acetalization reaction heterogeneously by providing Lewis acidic sites. The solvent-dependent character of the defect formation can be used to control the catalytic activity of the active compounds, demonstrating a facile defect engineering for functionalizing solid materials.

Expanded Analogs of Three-Dimensional Lead-Halide Hybrid Perovskites.

Replacing the Pb-X octahedral building unit of AI PbX3 perovskites (X=halide) with a pair of edge-sharing Pb-X octahedra affords the expanded perovskite analogs: AII Pb2 X6 . We report seven members of this new family of materials. In 3D hybrid perovskites, orbitals from the organic molecules do not participate in the band edges. In contrast, the more spacious inorganic sublattice of the expanded analogs accommodates larger pyrazinium-based cations with low-lying π* orbitals that form the conduction band, substantially decreasing the band gap of the expanded lattice. The molecular nature of the conduction band allows us to electronically dope the materials by reducing the organic molecules. By synthesizing derivatives with AII =pyridinium and ammonium, we can isolate the contributions of the pyrazinium-based orbitals in the band gap transition of AII Pb2 X6 . The organic-molecule-based conduction band and the inorganic-ion-based valence band provide an unusual electronic platform with localized states for electrons and more disperse bands for holes upon optical or thermal excitation.

Dynamically Disordered Lattice in a Layered Pb-I-SCN Perovskite Thin Film Probed by Two-Dimensional Infrared Spectroscopy.

The dynamically flexible lattices in lead halide perovskites may play important roles in extending carrier recombination lifetime in 3D perovskite solar-cell absorbers and in exciton self-trapping in 2D perovskite white-light phosphors. Two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectroscopy was applied to study a recently reported Pb-I-SCN layered perovskite. The Pb-I-SCN perovskite was spin-coated on a SiO2 surface as a thin film, with a thickness of ∼100 nm, where the S12CN- anions were isotopically diluted with the ratio of S12CN:S13CN = 5:95 to avoid vibrational coupling and excitation transfer between adjacent SCN- anions. The 12CN stretch mode of the minor S12CN- component was the principal vibrational probe that reported on the structural evolution through 2D IR spectroscopy. Spectral diffusion was observed with a time constant of 4.1 ± 0.3 ps. Spectral diffusion arises from small structural changes that result in sampling of frequencies within the distribution of frequencies comprising the inhomogeneously broadened infrared absorption band. These transitions among discrete local structures are distinct from oscillatory phonon motions of the lattice. To accurately evaluate the structural dynamics through measurement of spectral diffusion, the vibrational coupling between adjacent SCN- anions had to be carefully treated. Although the inorganic layers of typical 2D perovskites are structurally isolated from each other, the 2D IR data demonstrated that the layers of the Pb-I-SCN perovskite are vibrationally coupled. When both S12CN- and S13CN- were pumped simultaneously, cross-peaks between S12CN and S13CN vibrations and an oscillating 2D band shape of the S12CN- vibration were observed. Both observables demonstrate vibrational coupling between the closest SCN- anions, which reside in different inorganic layers. The thin films and the isotopic dilution produced exceedingly small vibrational echo signal fields; measurements were made possible using the near-Brewster's angle reflection pump-probe geometry.

Carving Out Pores in Redox-Active One-Dimensional Coordination Polymers.

Reduction of the insulating one-dimensional coordination polymer [Cu(abpy)PF6 ]n , 1 a(PF6 ), (abpy=2,2'-azobispyridine) yields the conductive, porous polymer [Cu(abpy)]n , 2 a. Pressed pellets of neutral 2 a exhibit a conductivity of 0.093 S cm-1 at room temperature and a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 56 m2 g-1 . Fine powders of 2 a have a BET surface area of 90 m2 g-1 . Cyclic voltammetry shows that the reduction of 1 a(PF6 ) to 2 a is quasi-reversible, indicative of facile charge transfer through the bulk material. The BET surface area of the reduced polymer 2 can be controlled by changing the size of the counteranion X in the cationic [Cu(abpy)X]n . Reduction of [Cu(abpy)X]n with X=Br (2 b) or BArF (2 c; BArF =tetrakis(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)), affords [Cu(abpy)]n polymers with surface areas of 60 and 200 m2 g-1 , respectively.

Chemical Approaches to Addressing the Instability and Toxicity of Lead-Halide Perovskite Absorbers.

The impressive rise in efficiencies of solar cells employing the three-dimensional (3D) lead-iodide perovskite absorbers APbI3 (A = monovalent cation) has generated intense excitement. Although these perovskites have remarkable properties as solar-cell absorbers, their potential commercialization now requires a greater focus on the materials' inherent shortcomings and environmental impact. This creates a challenge and an opportunity for synthetic chemists to address these issues through the design of new materials. Synthetic chemistry offers powerful tools for manipulating the magnificent flexibility of the perovskite lattice to expand the number of functional analogues to APbI3. To highlight improvements that should be targeted in new materials, here we discuss the intrinsic instability and toxicity of 3D lead-halide perovskites. We consider possible sources of these instabilities and propose methods to overcome them through synthetic design. We also discuss new materials developed for realizing the exceptional photophysical properties of lead-halide perovskites in more environmentally benign materials. In this Forum Article, we provide a brief overview of the field with a focus on our group's contributions to identifying and addressing problems inherent to 3D lead-halide perovskites.

Encapsulating Mobile Proton Carriers into Structural Defects in Coordination Polymer Crystals: High Anhydrous Proton Conduction and Fuel Cell Application.

We describe the encapsulation of mobile proton carriers into defect sites in nonporous coordination polymers (CPs). The proton carriers were encapsulated with high mobility and provided high proton conductivity at 150 °C under anhydrous conditions. The high proton conductivity and nonporous nature of the CP allowed its application as an electrolyte in a fuel cell. The defects and mobile proton carriers were investigated using solid-state NMR, XAFS, XRD, and ICP-AES/EA. On the basis of these analyses, we concluded that the defect sites provide space for mobile uncoordinated H3PO4, H2PO4(-), and H2O. These mobile carriers play a key role in expanding the proton-hopping path and promoting the mobility of protons in the coordination framework, leading to high proton conductivity and fuel cell power generation.

Glass Formation of a Coordination Polymer Crystal for Enhanced Proton Conductivity and Material Flexibility.

The glassy state of a two-dimensional (2D) Cd(2+) coordination polymer crystal was prepared by a solvent-free mechanical milling process. The glassy state retains the 2D structure of the crystalline material, albeit with significant distortion, as characterized by synchrotron X-ray analyses and solid-state multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. It transforms to its original crystal structure upon heating. Thus, reversible crystal-to-glass transformation is possible using our new processes. The glass state displays superior properties compared to the crystalline state; specifically, it shows anhydrous proton conductivity and a dielectric constant two orders of magnitude greater than the crystalline material. It also shows material flexibility and transparency.

Reversible solid-to-liquid phase transition of coordination polymer crystals.

The solid-to-liquid phase transition, a fundamental process commonly observed for various types of substances with significant potential for application, has been given little attention in the field of coordination polymers (CPs) despite the rich functionality of these compounds. In this article, we report the reversible solid-to-liquid phase transition of crystalline CPs. These CPs are composed of zinc ions, phosphate, and azoles, and a well-balanced composition, ionicity, and bond strength afford "melting" CPs. We examined the structure of one such melting framework in the liquid and glass states and found that the coordination bonds are not fully preserved in the liquid state but are re-formed in the glass state. As a demonstration, we fabricated, via phase transition, a thin film with an aligned crystal orientation and a monolith crystal of the CP.

Ion conductivity and transport by porous coordination polymers and metal-organic frameworks.

Ion conduction and transport in solids are both interesting and useful and are found in widely distinct materials, from those in battery-related technologies to those in biological systems. Scientists have approached the synthesis of ion-conductive compounds in a variety of ways, in the areas of organic and inorganic chemistry. Recently, based on their ion-conducting behavior, porous coordination polymers (PCPs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been recognized for their easy design and the dynamic behavior of the ionic components in the structures. These PCP/MOFs consist of metal ions (or clusters) and organic ligands structured via coordination bonds. They could have highly concentrated mobile ions with dynamic behavior, and their characteristics have inspired the design of a new class of ion conductors and transporters. In this Account, we describe the state-of-the-art of studies of ion conductivity by PCP/MOFs and nonporous coordination polymers (CPs) and offer future perspectives. PCP/MOF structures tend to have high hydrophilicity and guest-accessible voids, and scientists have reported many water-mediated proton (H(+)) conductivities. Chemical modification of organic ligands can change the hydrated H(+) conductivity over a wide range. On the other hand, the designable structures also permit water-free (anhydrous) H(+) conductivity. The incorporation of protic guests such as imidazole and 1,2,4-triazole into the microchannels of PCP/MOFs promotes the dynamic motion of guest molecules, resulting in high H(+) conduction without water. Not only the host-guest systems, but the embedding of protic organic groups on CPs also results in inherent H(+) conductivity. We have observed high H(+) conductivities under anhydrous conditions and in the intermediate temperature region of organic and inorganic conductors. The keys to successful construction are highly mobile ionic species and appropriate intervals of ion-hopping sites in the structures. Lithium (Li(+)) and other ions can also be transported. If we can optimize the crystal structures, this could offer further improvements in terms of both conductivity and the working temperature range. Another useful characteristic of PCP/MOFs is their wide application to materials fabrication. We can easily prepare heterodomain crystal systems, such as core-shell or solid solution. Other anisotropic morphologies (thin film, nanocrystal, nanorod, etc.,) are also possible, with retention of the ion conductivity. The flexible nature also lets us design morphology-dependent ion-conduction behaviors that we cannot observe in the bulk state. We propose (1) multivalent ion and anion conductions with the aid of redox activity and defects in structures, (2) control of ion transport behavior by applying external stimuli, (3) anomalous conductivity at the hetero-solid-solid interface, and (4) unidirectional ion transport as in the ion channels in membrane proteins. In the future, scientists may use coordination polymers not only to achieve higher conductivity but also to control ion behavior, which will open new avenues in solid-state ionics.

Synthesis and porous properties of chromium azolate porous coordination polymers.

We developed a new route for synthesis of Cr-based porous coordination polymers (PCPs) with azole ligands and characterized the unique open structures by single-crystal X-ray studies and other spectroscopy techniques. Chromium-based PCPs have been prepared from azolate ligands 3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid (H2dmcpz) and 1,4-di(1H-tetrazole-5yl)benzene (H2BDT) by solvothermal reactions under an Ar atmosphere. [Cr3O(Hdmcpz)6(DMF)3]⊃DMF (1⊃DMF) is a coordination compound that forms a hydrogen-bonded porous network. [Cr3O(HBDT)2(BDT)Cl3)]⊃DMF (2⊃DMF) possesses a new type of trinuclear chromium µ3-O unit cluster and the novel topology of a Cr-based PCP with 700 m(2) g(-1) of Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area. [Cr(BDT)(DEF)]⊃DEF (3⊃DEF) is structurally flexible and reactive to O2 molecules because of the unsaturated Cr(2+) centers. This is the first report of a Cr-based PCP/metal-organic framework with noncarboxylate ligands and characterization by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Integration of intrinsic proton conduction and guest-accessible nanospace into a coordination polymer.

We report the synthesis and characterization of a coordination polymer that exhibits both intrinsic proton conductivity and gas adsorption. The coordination polymer, consisting of zinc ions, benzimidazole, and orthophosphate, exhibits a degree of flexibility in that it adopts different structures before and after dehydration. The dehydrated form shows higher intrinsic proton conductivity than the original form, reaching as high as 1.3 × 10(-3) S cm(-1) at 120 °C. We found that the rearranged conduction path and liquid-like behavior of benzimidazole molecules in the channel of the framework afforded the high proton conductivity. Of the two forms of the framework, only the dehydrated form is porous to methanol and demonstrates guest-accessible space in the structure. The proton conductivity of the dehydrated form increases by 24 times as a result of the in situ adsorption of methanol molecules, demonstrating the dual functionality of the framework. NMR studies revealed a hydrogen-bond interaction between the framework and methanol, which enables the modulation of proton conductivity within the framework.

Postsynthesis modification of a porous coordination polymer by LiCl To enhance H+ transport.

A Ca(2+) porous coordination polymer with 1D channels was functionalized by the postsynthesis addition of LiCl to enhance the H(+) conductivity. The compound showed over 10(-2) S cm(-1) at 25 °C and 20% relative humidity. Pulse-field gradient NMR elucidated that the fast H(+) conductivity was achieved by the support of Li(+) ion movements in the channel.

Coordination-network-based ionic plastic crystal for anhydrous proton conductivity.

An ionic coordination network consisting of protonated imidazole and anionic one-dimensional chains of Zn(2+) phosphate was synthesized. The compound possesses highly mobile ions in the crystal lattice and behaves as an ionic plastic crystal. The dynamic behavior provides a proton conductivity of 2.6 × 10(-4) S cm(-1) at 130 °C without humidity.

Inherent proton conduction in a 2D coordination framework.

We synthesized a coordination polymer consisting of Zn(2+), 1,2,4-triazole, and orthophosphates, and demonstrated for the first time intrinsic proton conduction by a coordination network. The compound has a two-dimensional layered structure with extended hydrogen bonds between the layers. It shows intrinsic proton conductivity along the direction parallel to the layers, as elucidated by impedance studies of powder and single crystals. From the low activation energy for proton hopping, the conduction mechanism was found to be of the Grotthuss fashion. The hopping is promoted by rotation of phosphate ligands, which are aligned on the layers at appropriate intervals.

Dense coordination network capable of selective CO2 capture from C1 and C2 hydrocarbons.

We elucidated the specific adsorption property of CO(2) for a densely interpenetrated coordination polymer which was a nonporous structure and observed gas separation properties of CO(2) over CH(4), C(2)H(4), and C(2)H(6), studied under both equilibrium and kinetic conditions of gases at ambient temperature and pressure.

Order-to-disorder structural transformation of a coordination polymer and its influence on proton conduction.

We observed an ordered-to-disordered structural transformation in a Cu(2+) coordination polymer and investigated its influence on the proton conductivity. The transformation generated highly mobile proton carriers in the structure. The resulting material exhibited a conductivity greater than 10(-2) S cm(-1) at 130 °C. The structural transformation and the conduction mechanism were investigated by EXAFS, TPD-MS and NMR.

Investigation of post-grafted groups of a porous coordination polymer and its proton conduction behavior.

We investigated the configuration of substituent groups that are post-synthetically bound to the pore surface in a porous coordination polymer. This study demonstrates the observations of orientation and coordination fashions of the grafted groups, which contribute towards improved proton conductivity in porous frameworks.