Direct Crystallographic Observation of CO2 Captured in Zig Zag Channels of a Copper(I) Metal–Organic Framework

Crown ether-like discrete clusters for sodium binding and gas adsorption

Hexanuclear polyoxomolybdenum-based discrete supermolecules Na_x[Mo^V₆O₆(μ₂-O)₉(Htrz)_6-x(trz)_x]·nH₂O (x = 0, n = 15, 1; x = 1, n = 12, 2; x = 2, n = 10, 3; x = 2, n = 49, 4; Htrz = 1H-1,2,3-triazole) have been prepared and fully characterized with different amounts of sodium cations inside and outside the intrinsic holes. Structural analyses demonstrate that they all exist a triangular channel constructed by six molybdenum-oxygen groups with inner diameters of 2.86 (1), 2.48 (2), and 3.04 (3/4) Å, respectively. Zero, one, or two univalent enthetic guest Na⁺ have been hosted around the structural centers, which reflect the expansion and contraction effects at microscopic level. Water-soluble species can serve as crown ether-like metallacycles before and after the sodium binding. Diverse nanoscale pores are further formed through intermolecular accumulations with hydrogen bonding. Gas adsorption studies indicate that 2-4 can selectively adsorb CO₂ and O₂ but have little or even no affinities toward H₂, N₂, and CH₄. Theoretical calculations corroborate the roles of Na⁺ and auxiliary ligand with different states in bond distances, molecular orbitals, electrostatic potentials, and lattice energies in these discrete clusters. The binding orders of sodium cations in 2-4 are similar with the classical crown ethers, where 2 is the strongest one with 2.226(4)_av Å for sodium cation bonded to six O atoms.

Binuclear, tetranuclear and hexadecanuclear thio-oxomolybdenum(V/IV) glycolates with selective adsorptions of gases

By adjusting the pH values of the solutions, binuclear, tetranuclear and hexadecanuclear glycolato thio- and oxomolybdenum(V/IV) complexes [MoV2O₂(μ₂-O)(μ₂-S)(Hglyc)₂(Hpz)₂]·H₂O (1, H₂glyc = glycolic acid, Hpz = pyrazole), (Hdpa)[MoV2O₂(μ₂-S)₂(Hglyc)(glyc)(H₂O)] (2, dpa = 2,2'-dipyridylamine), (Hdpa)₄[MoV4O₄(μ₃-O)₂(μ₂-S)₂(glyc)₂(S₂O₃)₂] (3) and Na₂[MoIV4MoV12O₁₂(μ₂-O)₆(μ₂-OH)₂(μ₃-O)₁₂(glyc)₄(Hpz)₄(pz)₈]·28H₂O (4) have been obtained successfully. Here the glycolates existed in varying aggregates with different degrees of protonation and deprotonation in 1-4. The stable formations of 1 and 2 are attributed to strong hydrogen bonds formed between the molecules. In particular, the asymmetric unit in 2 is a tetramer linked by hydrogen bonding [2.574(9) Å] between α-hydroxy and α-alkoxy groups for further construction of unsaturated penta-coordination environments. Moreover, deprotonated glycolates act as bridging ligands to form tetra- and hexadecanuclear compounds 3 and 4, respectively. The smallest unit in 4 exhibits mixed valences of 4+ and 5+ simultaneously, where its gas adsorption experiments manifest that 4 is obviously beneficial for O₂ and CO₂ compared with no adsorption of N₂, CH₄ and H₂ at different pressures.

Crystal structure of the nickel(II) complex aqua-(2,6-di(pyrazin-2-yl)-4,4′-bipyridine-κ3 N,N′,N′′)-(phthalato-κ2 O,O′)nickel(II) tetrahydrate, C26H26N6O9Ni

C26H26N6O9Ni, triclinic, P 1 ‾ $‾{1}$ (no. 2), a = 11.2329(5) Å, b = 11.7535(5) Å, c = 12.1109(7) Å, α = 70.936(5)°, β = 75.684(4)°, γ = 63.266(4)°, V = 1340.13(13) Å3, Z = 2, R gt (F) = 0.0314, wR ref (F 2) = 0.0743, T = 290 K.

Elucidating pore chemistry within metal–organic frameworks via single crystal X-ray diffraction; from fundamental understanding to application

The application of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) to diverse chemical sectors is aided by their crystallinity, which permits the use of X-ray crystallography to characterise their pore chemistry and provides invaluable insight into their properties.