Co-MOFs with 1,1-(5-methyl-1,3-phenylene)bis(1H-imidazole) and aromatic carboxylates as coligands: synthesis, structure, and spectroscopic and thermal characterizations

Four cobalt(II) compounds, [Co(Bim)(IA)(H2O)2] n . 0.5nH2O (1), [Co(Bim)(MA) (H2O)2] n (2), [Co 2 (Bim) 2 (MA) 2] n . nH2O (3), and [Co3 (Bim)4 (TA)2 (H2O)2] n . 2.5nH2O(4), have been synthesized by solvothermal reactions of cobalt(II) salts with 1,1'-(5-methyl-1,3-phenylene) bis(1H-imidazole) [Bim] and aromatic polycarboxylic acids (H2IA = isophthalic acid, H2MA = 5-methylisophthalic acid, and H3TA = trimesic acid) as coligands. The four complexes were characterized by IR and UV-vis spectra, elemental analyses, X-ray powder and single-crystal diffractions, and thermogravimetric analyses (TGAs). 1 features a zigzag polymeric macrocycle chain containing a nanotubular channel, which is constructed by bridging the folded 20-membered macrocyclic [Co 2 (Bim) 2] subunits with IA ligands. 2 represents a double-chain structure containing 18-membered macrocyclic [Co 2 (Bim)(MA)] subunits. Both 3 and 4 are 2-D porous coordination polymers but have different architectures. In 3, cage-like [Co 4 (Bim) 2 (MA) 4] subunits are 4-connected nodes that are further bridged by another half-set of Bim ligands to form a 2-D helical structure containing one-dimensional achiral channels and alternately arranged left- and right-handed helical tubular channels. In 4, Bim ligands bridge three crystallographically independent Co centers into sharply distorted left- and right-handed helices which are further connected by TA ligands to form a meso layer about 3.0 nm monolayer thickness with a unique (3,4)-connected topology. The structural diversities of coordination polymers 1-4 are tuned by the flexible coordination number of Co and coligand polycarboxylates. Thermal analyses show that the main frameworks of all compounds remain stable to 352 degrees C. Moreover, the interesting color changes of crystals 1-4, varying from pink to purple and dark blue, result from the d -> d* transitions of chromophoric Co2+ in different coordination geometries as determined by the UV-vis spectra in combination with crystal structure analyses.