Making an order: the concerted alignment of [MOF5]2- (M = Nb and Ta) dipolar anions in one-dimensional coordination chains sustained by tris(3,4,5-trimethyl-1H-pyrazole)copper(II)

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 4,4'-(propane-1,3-diyl)bis(4H-1,2,4-triazol-1-ium) penta-fluorido-oxidovanadate(V)

In the structure of the title salt, (C₇H₁₂N₆)[VOF₅], second-order Jahn-Teller distortion of the coordination octa-hedra around V ions is reflected by coexistence of short V-O bonds [1.5767 (12) Å] and trans-positioned long V-F bonds [2.0981 (9) Å], with four equatorial V-F distances being inter-mediate in magnitude [1.7977 (9)-1.8913 (9) Å]. Hydrogen bonding of the anions is restricted to F-atom acceptors only, with particularly strong N-H⋯F inter-actions [N⋯F = 2.5072 (15) Å] established by axial and cis-positioned equatorial F atoms. Hirshfeld surface analysis indicates that the most important inter-actions are overwhelmingly H⋯F/F⋯H, accounting for 74.4 and 36.8% of the contacts for the individual anions and cations, respectively. Weak CH⋯F and CH⋯N bonds are essential for generation of three-dimensional structure.

Heteroanionic Materials by Design: Progress Toward Targeted Properties

The burgeoning field of anion engineering in oxide-based compounds aims to tune physical properties by incorporating additional anions of different size, electronegativity, and charge. For example, oxychalcogenides, oxynitrides, oxypnictides, and oxyhalides may display new or enhanced responses not readily predicted from or even absent in the simpler homoanionic (oxide) compounds because of their proximity to the ionocovalent-bonding boundary provided by contrasting polarizabilities of the anions. In addition, multiple anions allow heteroanionic materials to span a more complex atomic structure design palette and interaction space than the homoanionic oxide-only analogs. Here, established atomic and electronic principles for the rational design of properties in heteroanionic materials are contextualized. Also described are synergistic quantum mechanical methods and laboratory experiments guided by these principles to achieve superior properties. Lastly, open challenges in both the synthesis and the understanding and prediction of the electronic, optical, and magnetic properties afforded by anion-engineering principles in heteroanionic materials are reviewed.