Structural constraints in the design of silver sulfonate coordination networks: Three new polysulfonate open frameworks

Three new silver sulfonate metal-organic frameworks are presented along with a design strategy for future generations. {[Ag-6(mesitylenetrisulfonate)(2)(H2O)(5)](.)2H(2)O}(infinity) (1), {Ag-4(durenetetrasulfonate)(H2O)(2)}(infinity) (2), and {[Ag-4(1,3,5,7-tetrakis(4,4'-sulfophenyl)adamantane)(H2O)(2)](.)1.3H(2)O}(infinity) (3) represent a series of open-framework silver sulfonate solids where the organic linker plays a key role in determining the overall structure. Compound 1 forms a pillared layered structure, while compounds 2 and 3 form 3-D nets derived from cross-linking of 1-D columns of silver sulfonates. All three solids incorporate water molecules, which can be removed to yield a solid stable to in excess of 300 degrees C. Powder X-ray diffraction studies and vapor sorption experiments show, for 1 and 2, that the solids retain their structure when guests are removed and, for all three, that water vapor is resorbed stoichiometrically by the solids. An idealized silver sulfonate framework is proposed, and upon comparison to the reported structures, guideline's are proposed for structural constraints in the design of future generations of 1-D and possibly 0-D aggregate structures.