Metal-organic frameworks incorporating Cu3(μ3-OH) clusters

Interaction of 4,4'- bi(1,2,4-triazole) (btr) with copper(II) chloride (bromide) in aqueous or aqueous alcohol media led to a series of coordination polymers featuring the formation of mu(3)-hydroxotricopper(II) clusters and their integration into 3D frameworks. These unprecedented structures originate in the propagation of trigonal hydroxotricopper(II) clusters bridged by tri- or tetradentate organic ligands. Complex [{Cu-3(mu(3)-OH)}{Cu-3(mu(3)-O)}(mu(4)-btr)(3)(H2O)(4)(OH)(2)Cl-6] Cl.0.5H(2)O adopts a structure of SrSi2 topology, with eight-fold interpenetration of the coordination frameworks. The structure of [{Cu-3(mu(3)-OH)}(2)(mu(3)-btr)(6)(mu(4)-btr)(mu-X)X-4]X-5.nH(2)O (X= Br, n = 6; X = Cl, n = 8) involves 2D coordination layers [{Cu-3(mu(3)-OH)}(mu(3)-btr)(3)](n) with an exceptional (3,6)- net topology, which are cross-linked by tetradentate btr ligands and bridging chloride (bromide) ions.