Microporosity of a Guanidinium Organodisulfonate Hydrogen‐Bonded Framework

Microporous Metal-Phosphonates with a Novel Orthogonalized Linker and Complementary Guests: Insights for Trivalent Metal Complexes from Divalent Metal Complexes

The reliable self-assembly of microporous metal-phosphonate materials remains a longstanding challenge. This stems from, generally, more coordination modes for the functional group allowing more dense structures, and stronger bonding driving less crystalline products. Here, a novel orthogonalized aryl-phosphonate linker, 1,3,5-tris(4'-phosphono-2',6'-dimethylphenyl) benzene (H₆ L3) has been used to direct formation of open frameworks. The peripheral aryl rings of H₆ L3 are orthogonalized relative to the central aromatic ring giving a tri-cleft conformation of the linker in which small aromatic molecules can readily associate. When coordinated to magnesium ions, a series of porous crystalline metal-organic, and hydrogen-bonded metal-organic frameworks (MOFs, HMOFs) are formed (CALF-41 (Mg), HCALF-42 (Mg), -43 (Mg)). While most metal-organic frameworks are tailored based on choice of metal and linker, here, the network structures are highly dependent on the inclusion and structure of the guest aromatic compounds. Larger guests, and a higher stoichiometry of metal, result in increased solvation of the metal ion, resulting in networks with connectivities increasingly involving hydrogen-bonds rather than direct phosphonate coordination. Upon thermal activation and aromatic template removal, the materials exhibit surface areas ranging from 400-600 m² /g. Self-assembly in the absence of aromatic guests yields mixtures of phases, frequently co-producing a dense 3-fold interpenetrated structure (1). Interestingly, a series of both more porous (530-900 m² /g), and more robust solids is formed by complexing with trivalent metal ions (Al, Ga, In) with aromatic guest; however, these are only attainable as microcrystalline powders. The polyprotic nature of phosphonate linkers enables structural analogy to the divalent analogues and these are identified as CALF-41 analogues. Finally, insights to the structural transformations during metal ion desolvation in this family are gained by considering a pair of structurally related Co materials, whose hydrogen-bonded (HCALF-44 (Co)) and desolvated (CALF-44 (Co)) coordination bonded networks were fully structurally characterized.

Hybrid Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Frameworks: Structures and Functional Applications

As a new class of porous crystalline materials, hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) assembled from building blocks by hydrogen bonds have gained increasing attention. HOFs benefit from advantages including mild synthesis, easy purification, and good recyclability. However, some HOFs transform into unstable frameworks after desolvation, which hinders their further applications. Nowadays, the main challenges of developing HOFs lie in stability improvement, porosity establishment, and functionalization. Recently, more and more stable and permanently porous HOFs have been reported. Of all these design strategies, stronger charge-assisted hydrogen bonds and coordination bonds have been proven to be effective for developing stable, porous, and functional solids called hybrid HOFs, including ionic and metallized HOFs. This Review discusses the rational design synthesis principles of hybrid HOFs and their cutting-edge applications in selective inclusion, proton conduction, gas separation, catalysis and so forth.

Water Sorption Controls Extreme Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Molecular Reorganization in Hydrogen Bonded Organic Frameworks

As hydrogen bonded frameworks are held together by relatively weak interactions, they often form several different frameworks under slightly different synthesis conditions and respond dynamically to stimuli such as heat and vacuum. However, these dynamic restructuring processes are often poorly understood. In this work, three isoreticular hydrogen bonded organic frameworks assembled through charge-assisted amidinium⋅⋅⋅carboxylate hydrogen bonds (1^C/C , 1^Si/C and 1^Si/Si ) are studied. Three distinct phases for 1^C/C and four for 1^Si/C and 1^Si/Si are fully structurally characterized. The transitions between these phases involve extreme yet recoverable molecular-level framework reorganization. It is demonstrated that these transformations are related to water content and can be controlled by humidity, and that the non-porous anhydrous phase of 1^C/C shows reversible water sorption through single crystal to crystal restructuring. This mechanistic insight opens the way for the future use of the inherent dynamism present in hydrogen bonded frameworks.

A Solid Transformation into Carboxyl Dimers Based on a Robust Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Framework for Propyne/Propylene Separation

Self-assembly of N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)-1,4-phenylenediamine with the help of different solvents provides isostructural hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOF-30). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) analysis reveals HOF-30 possesses 3D ten-fold interpenetrated dia nets connected by two kinds of hydrogen bonds, namely solvent-bridged carboxyl dimers and carboxyl⋅⋅⋅carboxyl dimers. Degassing treatment for HOF-30 yields HOF-30a with 3D ten-fold interpenetrated dia nets but linked with sole carboxyl⋅⋅⋅carboxyl dimers. Reversible hydrogen-bond-to-hydrogen-bond transformation between solvent-bridged carboxyl dimers in HOF-30 and carboxyl⋅⋅⋅carboxyl dimers in HOF-30a has been unveiled by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction. In addition, HOF-30a enables the selective adsorption of propyne over propylene according to single-component sorption and breakthrough experiments. The preferred propyne location in HOF has also been identified by SCXRD test.

A Heteromeric Carboxylic-acid-based Single Crystalline Crosslinked Organic Framework

The development of large pore single-crystalline covalently linked organic frameworks is critical in revealing the detailed structure-property relationship with substrates. One emergent approach is to photo-crosslink hydrogen-bonded molecular crystals. Introducing complementary hydrogen-bonded carboxylic acid building blocks is promising to construct large pore networks, but these molecules often form interpenetrated networks or non-porous solids. Herein, we introduced heteromeric carboxylic acid dimers to construct a non-interpenetrated molecular crystal. Crosslinking this crystal precursor with dithiols afforded a large pore single-crystalline hydrogen-bonded crosslinked organic framework HCOF-101. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed HCOF-101 as an interlayer connected hexagonal network, which possesses flexible linkages and large porous channels to host a hydrazone photoswitch. Multicycle Z/E-isomerization of the hydrazone took place reversibly within HCOF-101, showcasing the potential use of HCOF-101 for optical information storage.

Modular Construction of Porous Hydrogen-Bonded Molecular Materials from Melams

Ordered materials with predictable structures and properties can be made by a modular approach, using molecules designed to interact with neighbors and hold them in predetermined positions. Incorporating 4,6-diamino-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl (DAT) groups in modules is an effective way to direct assembly because each DAT group can form multiple N-H⋅⋅⋅N hydrogen bonds according to established patterns. We have found that modules with high densities of N(DAT)₂ groups can be made by base-induced double triazinylations of readily available amines. The resulting modules can form structures held together by remarkably large numbers of hydrogen bonds per molecule. Even simple modules with only 1-3 N(DAT)₂ groups and fewer than 70 non-hydrogen atoms can crystallize to form highly open networks in which each molecule engages in over 20 N-H⋅⋅⋅N hydrogen bonds, and more than 70 % of the volume is available for accommodating guests. In favorable cases, guests can be removed to create rigorously porous crystalline solids analogous to zeolites and metal-organic frameworks.