A novel interparticle porosity dominated mesoMOF, IPD-mesoMOF-12, based on sufficiently small ZIF-8 nanosized crystals was solvothermally/ultrasonically prepared and characterized via X-ray powder diffraction, nitrogen adsorption as well as scanning electron microscopy. With the hydrophobic matrix-MOF of ZIF-8, IPD-mesoMOF-12 was subsequently tested as an adsorbent for removal of toluene from aqueous solution.

A novel interparticle porosity dominated mesoMOF, IPD-mesoMOF-12, based on sufficiently small ZIF-8 nanosized crystals was solvothermally/ultrasonically prepared and characterized via X-ray powder diffraction, nitrogen adsorption as well as scanning electron microscopy. With the hydrophobic matrix-MOF of ZIF-8, IPD-mesoMOF-12 was subsequently tested as an adsorbent for removal of toluene from aqueous solution.

By modulating the synthetic strategy based on changing substituents on the ligand and solvent used in the synthesis, a series of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) of two chiral binaphthol-like ligands of 4-(1H-imidaozol-1-yl)benzoic acid (HIBA) and 4-(1H-2-methylimidazol-1-yl)benzoic acid (HMIBA) with various interpenetrating topologies have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions: Zn(IBA)2 (1), Co(IBA)2 (2), Cd(IBA)2·H2O·1.7DMF (3), Cd(MIBA)2·H2O·1.3DMF (4), Co(MIBA)2·H2O·1.3DMF (5) and Cd(MIBA)2·0.5H2O·1.2DMA (6) (DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide and DMA = N,N′-dimethylacetamide). X-ray diffraction study reveals that compounds 1 and 2 crystallize in tetragonal crystal system with chiral space groupsP4122 and P4322, respectively, indicating that they are a pair of structural enantiomers, having a twofold interpenetrating (4,4)-net. Compound 3 crystallizes in orthorhombic crystal system and non-centrosymmetric space group Pca21, which can be defined as an abnormal fourfold [2 + 2] interpenetrating diamond net. The isostructural compounds 4 and 5 crystallize in tetragonal crystal system and space group P4212, representing a chiral structure and a normal mode of fourfold interpenetrating diamondoid net. Compound 6 crystallizes in non-centrosymmetric space group Aba2 and exhibits a normal mode of fourfold diamondoid interpenetrating net.

A novel cadmium imidazolate framework of [Cd(nim)2] (CdIF-13, nim = 2-nitroimidazolate) has been prepared and structurally characterized that demonstrates a self-penetrating 4-connected net identified with the ice XII structure of itv topology and is presented as the first metal–organic framework (MOF) with itv topology and the second metal imidazolate framework (MIF) with self-penetrating and ice-like structure.

Two novel d10 metal coordination polymers [Cd(3,5-PMBC)2(H2O)2] (1) and {[Zn(3,5-PMBC)2(H2O)2]⋅2H2O} (2) (3,5-PMBC = 3-pyrimidin-5-ylbenzoic acid) have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions, and characterized by IR spectroscopy, powder and single crystal X-ray diffractions. In 1 and 2, the d10 metal ions (Zn2+ and Cd2+) directed the self-assemblies to form two types of significantly different coordination structures: 1 exhibits one-dimensional double-stranded chain, while 2 displays a unique two-dimensional undulated double layer. Both are further stacked via hydrogen-bond interactions to assemble three-dimensional supramolecular structures. Thermal and photoluminescent properties of 1 and 2 are also investigated in details.Graphical abstractTwo novel d10 metal-directed coordination polymers [Cd(3,5-PMBC)2(H2O)2] (1) and {[Zn(3,5-PMBC)2(H2O)2]2H2O} (2) have been prepared and characterized. compound 1 exhibits one-dimensional double-stranded chain, while 2 displays an unique two-dimensional undulated double layer. Both are further stacked via hydrogen-bond interactions to form three dimensional supramolecular structures.Research Highlights► Coordination polymers based on the unsymmetric ligand 3-pyrimidin-5-ylbenzoic acid are not reported so far. ► The first two novel d10 metal coordination polymers [Cd(3,5-PMBC)2(H2O)2] (1) and {[Zn(3,5-PMBC)2(H2O)2]2H2O} (2) (3,5-PMBC = 3-pyrimidin-5-ylbenzolate) have been synthesized and structurally characterized. ► The strong fluorescence emissions for 1 and 2 have been observed in the solid state.

Three chiral zinc sulfate compounds (NH4)2[Zn2(SO4)3] (1), (NH4)2[Zn(SO4)2] (2) and (C4H12N2)[Zn(SO4)2] (3) have been solvothermally synthesized by using achiral templates. The structures have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray analysis, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and elemental analysis. Compound 1 crystallizes in space group P213 with Flack parameter 0.011(14), displaying a network of langbeinite topology. Compound 2 crystallizes in space group P212121 with Flack parameter 0.055(19), revealing a chiral diamondoid framework. Compound 3 crystallizes in space group P21 with Flack parameter 0.459(17), exhibiting a chiral layered structure with racemic twin crystals.

A novel cadmium 2-methylimidazolate framework has been synthesized and structurally characterized that reveals an exceptional self-penetrating 4-connected net derived from a 2-fold interpenetrating (3,4)-connected net of tfa-c topology.

Four noncentrosymmetric coordination polymers of [Mn((S)-imp)((R)-imp)] (1), [Cu((S)-imp)2]∞ (2), [Zn((S)-imp)2]∞ (3), and [Co((S)-imp)2]∞ (4) [(S)-imp = (S)-2-(1H-imidazole1-yl) propionate] have been prepared and structurally characterized by X-ray single crystal diffraction, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Compound 1 crystallizes in the space group Pna21, exhibiting a two-dimensional structure; 2 crystallizes in the space group of P21, showing a chiral layered structure of (4, 4)-net, whereas 3 and 4 are isostructural, and they crystallize in the space group P212121, exhibiting a 3-fold interpenetrating diamondoid net. Because the ligand used for the synthesis is an enantiopure chiral compound, the obtained metal−organic frameworks show the homochirality in bulk except for compound 1, in which the ligand configuration was racemized during the solvothermal reaction.

Two polymorphs of crystalline anhydrous manganese acetate, α-[Mn(O2CMe)2] (1) and β-[Mn(O2CMe)2] (2), were prepared under temperature-controlled solvothermal dehydration. X-ray single-crystal (and powder) diffractions revealed that compound 1 crystallizes in monoclinic (a = 9.763(4), b = 4.972(2), c = 6.122(3) Å, β = 102.878(5)°, V = 289.7(2) Å3, Z = 4) space group P2/c. Although it was early prepared, its single crystal structure is firstly determined and known as a two-dimensional (2D) layer structure; whereas, compound 2 demonstrates a three-dimensional diamondoid (dia-e) structure that people in its early X-ray single-crystal study was not aware of.

A series of novel ammonium copper sulfates, (NH4)4[Cu2(SO4)4] (1), (NH4)3[Cu2(OH)(SO4)3] (2), (NH4)1.5[Cu1.25(SO4)2] (3), [Cu0.5(NH4)][Cu(SO4)2] (4), and (NH4)[Cu1.5(SO4)2] (5), have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions. X-ray single-crystal analyses reveal that compound 1 has a structure of one-dimensional (1D) chain; compounds 2 and 3 have two-dimensional (2D) layer structures; and compounds 4 and 5 demonstrate the structures of three-dimensional (3D) open frameworks with 12- and 10-ring channels, respectively.