The design, synthesis, and properties of the new microporous coordination polymer UMCM-310 are described. The unique electronic character of the perylene-based linker enables selective interaction with electron-poor aromatics leading to efficient separation of nitroaromatics. UMCM-310 possesses high surface area and large pore size and thus permits the separation of large organic molecules based on adsorption rather than size exclusion.

Design and synthesis of porous solids employing both reversible coordination chemistry and reversible covalent bond formation is described. The combination of two different linkage modes in a single material presents a link between two distinct classes of porous materials as exemplified by metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs). This strategy, in addition to being a compelling material-discovery method, also offers a platform for developing a fundamental understanding of the factors influencing the competing modes of assembly. We also demonstrate that even temporary formation of reversible connections between components may be leveraged to make new phases thus offering design routes to polymorphic frameworks. Moreover, this approach has the striking potential of providing a rich landscape of structurally complex materials from commercially available or readily accessible feedstocks.

Design and synthesis of porous solids employing both reversible coordination chemistry and reversible covalent bond formation is described. The combination of two different linkage modes in a single material presents a link between two distinct classes of porous materials as exemplified by metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs). This strategy, in addition to being a compelling material-discovery method, also offers a platform for developing a fundamental understanding of the factors influencing the competing modes of assembly. We also demonstrate that even temporary formation of reversible connections between components may be leveraged to make new phases thus offering design routes to polymorphic frameworks. Moreover, this approach has the striking potential of providing a rich landscape of structurally complex materials from commercially available or readily accessible feedstocks.

The two-dimensional assembly of multicarboxylated arenes is explored at the liquid–graphite interface using scanning tunneling microscopy. Symmetry variations were introduced via phenylene spacer addition and the influence of these perturbations on the formation of hydrogen-bonded motifs from an alkanoic acid solvent is observed. This work demonstrates the importance of symmetry in 2D crystal formation and draws possible links of this behavior to prediction of coordination modes in three-dimensional coordination polymers.

Acyclovir (ACV) has been commonly used as an antiviral for decades. Although the crystal structure of the commercial form, a 3:2 ACV/water solvate, has been known since 1980s, investigation into the structure of anhydrous ACV has been limited. Here, we report the characterization of four anhydrous forms of ACV and a new hydrate in addition to the known hydrate. Two of the anhydrous forms appear as small needles and are stable to air exposure, whereas the third form is morphologically similar but quickly absorbs water from the atmosphere and converts back to the commercial form. The high-temperature modification is achieved by heating anhydrous form I above 180°C. The crystal structures of anhydrous form I and a novel hydrate are reported for the first time. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 100:949–963, 2011

Although crystal polymorphism of carbamazepine (CBZ), an anticonvulsant used to treat epilepsy, has been known for decades, the phenomenon has only recently been noted for its keto-derivative oxcarbazepine (OCB). Here it is demonstrated that OCB possesses at least three anhydrous polymorphs. Although all forms are morphologically similar, making differentiation between crystal modifications by optical microscopy difficult, powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and thermomicroscopy show distinctive differences. These techniques provide an efficient method of distinguishing between the three polymorphs. The crystal structure of form II of OCB is reported for the first time and the structure of form I has been redetermined at low temperature. Remarkably, both the molecular conformation and crystal packing of form II are in excellent agreement with the blind prediction made in 2007. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 99:794–803, 2010

The ability of computational methods to describe the relative energies of polymorphic pharmaceuticals is investigated for a diverse array of compounds. The initial molecular geometries were taken from crystal structures, and energy differences between polymorphic pairs were calculated with various geometry optimization methods. Results using molecular mechanics were compared to experimental calorimetric data and periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The best agreement with experimental heats of transition was shown with energies calculated from geometry optimizations using the Compass force field. Calculations that optimized atomic positions with the Compass force field gave correct energy rankings for all 11 polymorphic pairs studied, with an average deviation of 0.61 kcal/mol from experimental results. These findings suggest that computational methods are poised to predict enthalpy differences between polymorphic forms with levels of accuracy that are quite acceptable when proper approaches are employed. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 97:2121–2129, 2008