Construction of porous solids from hydrogen-bonded metal complexes of 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid

The reaction of M(II) acetate hydrate (M = Co, Ni, and Zn) with 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic (BTC) acid yields a material formulated as M(3)(BTC)(2) . 12H(2)O. These compounds are isostructural as revealed by their XRPD patterns and a single crystal structure analysis performed on the cobalt containing solid [monoclinic, space group C2, a = 17.482 (6) Angstrom, b = 12.963 (5) Angstrom, c = 6.559 (2) Angstrom, beta = 112.04 degrees, V = 1377.8 (8) Angstrom, Z = 4]. This solid is composed of zigzag chains of tetra-aqua cobalt(II) benzenetricarboxylate that are hydrogen-bonded to yield a tightly held 3-D network. Upon liberating 11 water ligands per formula unit a porous solid results, M(3)(BTC)(2) . H2O, which was found to reversibly and repeatedly bind water without destruction of the framework. The proposed 1-D channels of the monohydrate have a pore diameter of 4 x 5 Angstrom, which is typical of those observed in zeolites and molecular sieves. The successful inclusion of ammonia into the porous solid was demonstrated. Larger molecules and others without a reactive lone pair are disallowed from entering the channels.