In Situ Synthesis, Structural Characterization and Catalytic Properties of a 2D Cu(I)-cyanide Coordination Polymer

A new Cu(I) coordination polymer (CP) formulated as [Cu-2(L)(CN)(2)](n) (1, L = 1,1'-bis(5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole)methane) was synthesized, in which the cyanide anions were generated in situ by the cleavage of C-C bond of acetonitrile under hydrothermal conditions. CP 1 was characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, Pccn space group, with a = 10.314(3), b = 20.966(7), c = 9.432(3) angstrom, V= 2039.5(11) angstrom(3), Z = 4, C21H20Cu2N6, M-r = 483.51, D-c = 1.575 g.cm(-3), mu = 2.105 mm(-1) and F(000) = 984, the final R = 0.0608 and wR = 0.1942 for 1226 observed reflections with I > 2 sigma(I) for the CP 1. The CP 1 possesses a 2D {6(3)} layer structure which is composed of Cu(I) centers bridged by L and CN- ligands. The thermal stability and luminescence properties of CP 1 are discussed in detail. The complex also displays a remarkable activity for the degradation of methyl orange by hydrogen peroxide in a Fenton-like process.