Effecting structural diversity in a series of Co(II)-organic frameworks by the interplay between rigidity of a dicarboxylate and flexibility of bis(tridentate) spanning ligands

Two Metal-Organic Frameworks with a Fused Cis-Decalin Conformation for Multimedia Iodine Capture

The extensive growth of nuclear power plants has a severe detrimental effect on human health and the surroundings due to the uncontrolled and unfiltered release of radioactive wastes into the environment. One such radioactive waste is 129I which has a fatal effect when released into the air or water bodies. Hence, molecular and ionic iodine capture from multimedia has become an important area of interest in the recent past. This work is aimed at introducing two 2D metal-organic frameworks with a fused cis-decalin conformation, {[Zn2(tpbn)(fdc)2]·6H2O}n (1) and {[Cd2(tpbn)(fdc)2(H2O)2]·2H2O}n (2), synthesized at room temperature utilizing a combination of M(OAc)2·2H2O (M: Zn/Cd), a neutral flexible ligand, tpbn, and a simple commercially available furan dicarboxylate, fdc2-, for the target application. The polarizing nature of the furan moieties and the oxygen rich pores in 1 and 2 facilitate the easy capture of molecular iodine from both the vapor phase and aqueous media with high uptake values. Furthermore, their efficiency was tested for the practical application under real-world conditions using river and seawater. In addition to confirming their recyclability with the retention of structural integrity, the interaction between 1 and 2 with iodine has also been established with experimental and theoretical calculations.

A Multivariate 2D Metal-Organic Framework with Open Metal Sites for Catalytic CO2 Cycloaddition and Cyanosilylation Reactions

This work reports the synthesis of a dual functional 2D framework, {[Zn2(4-tpom)2(oxdz)2]·4H2O}n (1), at room temperature, where a bent dicarboxylate, oxdz2- (4,4'-(1,3,4-oxadiazole-2,5-diyl)dibenzoate), and a neutral flexible N-donor linker, 4-tpom (tetrakis(4-pyridyloxymethylene)methane), are utilized. Its single-crystal X-ray analysis indicated a 2-fold interpenetrated 2D framework having tetracoordinated Zn(II) centers and dangling pyridyl groups. Its further characterization was carried out with elemental microanalysis, FTIR spectroscopy, TG analysis, and powder X-ray diffraction. The tetracoordinated Zn(II) centers as active Lewis acidic sites and the N atoms of 4-tpom as Lewis basic sites in 1 are explored for its functioning as a heterogeneous catalyst in two important reactions, (i) cycloaddition of CO2 with various epoxides and (ii) cyanosilylation reaction under solvent-free conditions. We could successfully show the cycloaddition of styrene oxide with CO2 (99% conversion) under balloon pressure with low catalyst (0.2-0.3 mol %) and cocatalyst (0.5-0.75 mol %) loadings, which is otherwise difficult to achieve. It was observed that all the substrates (aromatic and aliphatic), irrespective of their sizes, showed conversion percentage >99%. In the cyanosilylation reaction, a conversion of 96% was obtained with 1.5 mol % of 1 at room temperature for 12 h. This framework emerged as an excellent recyclable catalyst for both the reactions.

COF-supported zirconium oxyhydroxide as a versatile heterogeneous catalyst for Knoevenagel condensation and nerve agent hydrolysis

A composite of catalytic Lewis acidic zirconium oxyhydroxides (8 wt %) and a covalent organic framework (COF) was synthesized. X-ray diffraction and infrared (IR) spectroscopy reveal that COF's structure is preserved after loading with zirconium oxyhydroxides. Electron microscopy confirms a homogeneous distribution of nano- to sub-micron-sized zirconium clusters in the COF. 3D X-ray tomography captures the micron-sized channels connecting the well-dispersed zirconium clusters on the COF. The crystalline ZrOx(OH)y@COF's nanostructure was model-optimized via simulated annealing methods. Using 0.8 mol % of the catalyst yielded a turnover number of 100-120 and a turnover frequency of 160-360 h-1 for Knoevenagel condensation in aqueous medium. Additionally, 2.2 mol % of catalyst catalyzes the hydrolysis of dimethyl nitrophenyl phosphate, a simulant of nerve agent Soman, with a conversion rate of 37% in 180 min. The hydrolytic detoxification of the live agent Soman is also achieved. Our study unveils COF-stabilized ZrOx(OH)y as a new class of zirconium-based Lewis + Bronsted-acid catalysts.

Coordination Polymers from an Amino-Functionalized Terphenyl-Tetracarboxylate Linker: Structural Multiplicity and Catalytic Properties

An amino-functionalized terphenyl-tetracarboxylic acid, 2'-amino-[1,1':4',1″-terphenyl]-3,3″,5,5″-tetracarboxylic acid (H4tpta), was used as an adaptable linker to synthesize, under hydrothermal conditions, eight coordination polymers (CPs). The obtained products were formulated as [Co(μ6-H2tpta)]n (1), [Co(μ3-H2tpta)(2,2'-bipy)]n (2), [M3(μ6-Htpta)2(2,2'-bipy)2]n (M = Mn (3), Cd (4)), [Ni2(μ4-tpta)(phen)2(H2O)4]n (5), [Zn2(μ6-tpta)(phen)2]n (6), {[Zn2(μ6-tpta)(μ-4,4'-bipy)]·H2O}n (7), and [Zn2(μ6-tpta)(μ-H2biim)(H2O)2]n (8), wherein 2,2'-bipyridine (2,2'-bipy), 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), or 2,2'-biimidazole (H2biim) are present as additional stabilizing ligands. The structural types of 1-8 vary from one-dimensional (1D) (2, 5) and two-dimensional (2D) (3, 4, 6) CPs to three-dimensional (3D) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) (1, 7, and 8) with a diversity of topologies. The products 1-8 were investigated as catalysts in the Knoevenagel condensation involving aldehydes and active methylene derivatives (malononitrile, ethyl cyanoacetate, or tert-butyl cyanoacetate), leading to high condensation product yields (up to 99%) under optimized conditions. Various reaction conditions, substrate scope, and catalyst recycling were investigated. This work broadens the application of H4tpta as a versatile tetracarboxylate linker for the generation of diverse CPs/MOFs.

Exploiting a Multi-Responsive Oxadiazole Moiety in One Three-Dimensional Metal-Organic Framework for Remedies to Three Environmental Issues

Multifunctional metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) rely on the properties of metal centers (nodes) and/or linkers (struts) for their diverse applications in the emerging field of research. Currently, there is a huge demand for MOF materials in the field of capture/fixation/sensing of air pollutants, harmful chemical effluents, and nuclear waste. However, it is a challenging task to utilize one MOF for providing remedies to all these issues. On the basis of our current research activities, we have identified that an oxadiazole moiety-a five-membered ring with two different heteroatoms (O and N)-in a carboxylate linker can be the key to generating such MOF materials for its (a) inherent polarizable nature and molecular docking ability and (b) photoluminescence properties. In this work, we report a 3D MOF {[Co₂(oxdz)₂(tpbn)(H₂O)₂]·4H₂O}_n (1), self-assembled at room temperature from a three-component reaction, with an oxadiazole moiety (where H₂oxdz = 4,4'-(1,3,4-oxadiazole-2,5-diyl)dibenzoic acid and tpbn = N,N',N,"N″'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,4-diaminobutane). The inherent polarizable nature of the oxadiazole moiety in 1 has been efficiently exploited for (i) multimedia iodine capture and (ii) fixation of CO₂ under solvent-free and ambient conditions. On the other hand, the luminescent nature of the framework is found to be an efficient, highly preferred turn-on sensor for the ultra-fast detection of ketones with a limit as low as parts-per-trillion (mesitylene oxide: 447 ppt; cycloheptanone: 4.7 ppb; cyclohexanone: 17.2 ppb; acetylacetone: 18 ppb).

Two pillared-layer metal-organic frameworks based on the pinwheel trinuclear carboxylate-clusters of Zn(II) and Co(II): synthesis, crystal structures, magnetic study, and Lewis acid catalysis

Using a dicarboxylic acid, [1,1'-biphenyl]-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid (H₂L1) and an exobidentate ligand, (1E,1'E)-N,N'-(1,4-phenylene)bis(1-(pyridin-4-yl)methanimine) (L2), two 3D interpenetrated networks, {[Zn₃(L1)₃(L2)]·9H₂O}_n (Zn-MOF) and {[Co₃(L1)₃(L2)(DMF)]·0.5DMF}_n (Co-MOF), have been prepared in good yields. The crystal structure analysis of Zn-MOF and Co-MOF revealed that both have a 3D pillared-layer structure based on pinwheel trinuclear metal-carboxylate clusters as secondary building units (SBUs). Furthermore, the structures also exhibited three-fold interpenetration. Although the overall networks in Zn-MOF and Co-MOF showed significant resemblances, there are marked differences in their crystal structures, which are associated with the coordination environment of the metal centre and the binding modes of the carboxylates. Gas adsorption studies (N₂ at 77 K and 1 bar) indicated that Co-MOF is more porous than Zn-MOF. Magnetic measurements on Co-MOF indicate a significant antiferromagnetic interaction (45 K to 303 K) between trimeric Co(II) S = 3/2 spins through syn-syn carboxylato bridges. Both MOFs were studied for the Lewis acid catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation reactions between benzaldehydes and malononitrile with an active methylene group, where Zn-MOF was found to be a better catalyst than Co-MOF. This was supported by the Monte Carlo simulations indicating the better substrate binding ability of Zn-MOF than Co-MOF.

Two Zn(II)/Cd(II) Coordination Polymers as Recyclable Heterogeneous Catalysts for an Efficient Room-Temperature Synthesis of α-Aminonitriles via the Solvent-Free Strecker Reaction

The α-aminonitriles are versatile building blocks in the synthesis of natural or artificial amino acids as well as important intermediates in organic synthesis. For their synthesis, the three-component Strecker reaction involving an aldehyde or a ketone together with amines and trimethylsilyl cyanide is used. In the literature, hydrothermally produced metal-based heterogeneous Lewis acid catalysts have been utilized in various solvents. In this work, we aimed at a greener approach toward such catalysis by (a) making two precatalysts with d¹⁰ metal centers, {[Zn(hipamifba)(H₂O)]·2H₂O}_n (1) and {[Cd(hipamifba)(H₂O)₂]·2H₂O}_n (2) (where H₂hipamifba = 4-(((4-((carboxymethyl) carbamoyl)phenyl)amino)methyl)benzoic acid), via an easy and scalable room-temperature method, and (b) showcasing the use of these coordination polymers (CPs) as very efficient, recyclable, and heterogeneous catalysts for the Strecker reaction to form α-aminonitriles in high yields under solvent-free reaction at ambient conditions. This has also allowed us to demonstrate the importance of open metal sites in such catalysis through an efficiency comparison between activated 1 and 2. In addition, activated 2 exhibited a wide substrate scope including a natural product Girgensohnine, providing an example of a natural product synthesis by a CP catalyst via an organic transformation such as the Strecker reaction.

Coordination Polymers Constructed from an Adaptable Pyridine-Dicarboxylic Acid Linker: Assembly, Diversity of Structures, and Catalysis

4,4'-(Pyridine-3,5-diyl)dibenzoic acid (H₂pdba) was explored as an adaptable linker for assembling a diversity of new manganese(II), cobalt(II/III), nickel(II), and copper(II) coordination polymers (CPs): [Mn(μ₄-pdba)(H₂O)]_n (1), {[M(μ₃-pdba)(phen)]·2H₂O}_n (M = Co (2), Ni (3)), {[Cu₂(μ₃-pdba)₂(bipy)]·2H₂O}_n (4), {[Co(μ₃-pdba)(bipy)]·2H₂O}_n (5), [Co₂(μ₃-pdba)(μ-Hbiim)₂(Hbiim)]_n (6), and [M(μ₄-pdba)(py)]_n (M = Co (7), Ni (8)). The CPs were hydrothermally synthesized using metal(II) chloride precursors, H₂pdba, and different coligands functioning as crystallization mediators (phen: 1,10-phenanthroline; bipy: 2,2'-bipyridine, H₂biim: 2,2'-biimidazole; py: pyridine). Structural networks of 1-8 range from two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic layers (1-3, 5-8) to three-dimensional (3D) metal-organic framework (MOF) (4) and disclose several types of topologies: sql (in 1), hcb (in 2, 3, 5), tfk (in 4), 3,5L66 (in 6), and SP 2-periodic net (6,3)Ia (in 7, 8). Apart from the characterization by standard methods, catalytic potential of the obtained CPs was also screened in the Knoevenagel condensation of benzaldehyde with propanedinitrile to give 2-benzylidenemalononitrile (model reaction). Several reaction parameters were optimized, and the substrate scope was explored, revealing the best catalytic performance for a 3D MOF 4. This catalyst is recyclable and can lead to substituted dinitrile products in up to 99% product yields. The present study widens the use of H₂pdba as a still poorly studied linker toward designing novel functional coordination polymers.

Zn(II) metal-organic architectures from ether-bridged tetracarboxylate linkers: assembly, structural variety and catalytic features

Semi-flexible aromatic polycarboxylic acids are gaining impetus in crystal engineering of functional coordination polymers (CPs). This work opens up the use of two ether-bridged tetracarboxylic acids, 3-(2,5-dicarboxyphenoxy)phthalic acid (H4dpa) and...

Three Resorcin[4]arene-Based Two-Dimensional Zn(II) Supramolecular Isomers Synthesized via a Structure-Directing Strategy for Knoevenagel Condensation

Herein, in the presence of three structure-directing agents (SDAs), a family of imidazole-functionalized resorcin[4]arene-based coordination polymers (CPs), [Zn(TIC4R)(HCOO)]·HCOO·0.5DMF·1.5H₂O (1), [Zn(TIC4R)(CN)]·HCOO·DMF·2.5H₂O (2), and [Zn(TIC4R)(H₂O)]·2HCOO·2H₂O (3), were assembled under solvothermal conditions [TIC4R = tetra(imidazole) resorcin[4]arene]. 1 exhibits a double-layer structure with rectangle windows, and 2 and 3 display monolayer structures. The layers of CPs 2 and 3 are slides with different offsets along the a-axis. In addition, three CPs were used as catalysts to catalyze Knoevenagel condensations. Strikingly, all CPs exhibit remarkable catalytic performance for several substrates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a small organic acid as SDA was used in the syntheses of resorcin[4]arene-based supramolecular isomers.

Deciphering supramolecular isomerization in coordination polymers: connected molecular squares vs. fused hexagons

The self-assembly of Mn(ii), bis(tridentate) ligands and bent dicarboxylate linkers under ambient conditions has been exploited to generate a series of 1D coordination polymers in good yields. For a set of seven compounds, structural isomerization of these architectures is demonstrated through the variation of length and nature of the spacer between the tridentate capping sites of the bis(tridentate) ligands, such as tpbn (N,N',N'',N'''-tetrakis-(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,4-diaminobutane), tphxn (N,N',N'',N'''-tetrakis-(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,6-diaminohexane), and tpxn (N,N',N'',N'''-tetrakis-(2-pyridylmethyl)-xylylamine) or by varying the bent dicarboxylate linker 4,4'-(dimethylsilanediyl)bis-benzoic acid (H2L1) or 4,4'-oxybis-benzoic acid (H2L2). These compounds have been structurally characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, FTIR, and thermogravimetric and elemental analyses. This study reveals that the supramolecular structural variation can be precisely controlled either by a judicious selection of reaction conditions or linker/ligand combinations. For example, the self-assembly of Mn(ii), tpbn and H2L1 in DMF/EtOH/water affords a mixture of products (1 and 1a) while changing the solvent combination to EtOH/water results in the generation of a single isomer (1a) in a highly selective manner. On the other hand, for the Mn(ii)-tphxn system, different structural isomers have been isolated by varying the dicarboxylates, H2L1 and H2L2 (2vs.5). Similarly, for the Mn(ii)-H2L2 system, a variation in the spacer chain length of bis(tridentate) ligands, tpbn and tphxn resulted in the formation of different structural isomers (4vs.5).