Qin Hou

Organically templated chained chlorocadmates and cadmium-chloro thiocyanates

With the protonated piperazine (pip) and triethylenediamine (1,4-diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane, dabco) as the templates, two chained chlorocadmates [H2pip][Cd2Cl6(H2O)2] 1, [H2dabco][Cd2Cl6]·H2O 2 and two chained cadmium-chloro thiocyanates [H2pip][CdCl3(SCN)]·2H2O 3, [H2dabco]2[Cd3Cl8(SCN)2]·H2O 4 were obtained, and characterized by IR analysis, CHN analysis, TG analysis and X-ray single-crystal diffraction. The 1-D chain structure of compound 1 is the simplest, and can be described as a zigzag infinite extension of Cd octahedra via sharing the edges. Compound 2 shows a double-chain structure, comprising the dinuclear Cd2Cl9 subunits linked together via sharing the corners and the edges. Compounds 3 and 4 are the first examples of a family of organically templated chained cadmium-chloro thiocyanates. Compound 3 shows a linear-chain structure, comprising the Cd2Cl6 dimers by the SCN−groups, whereas compound 4 shows a stepped-chain structure, comprising the hexanuclear Cd6Cl16 subunits by the SCN−groups. Through intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen-bonded interactions, all the title compounds are self-assembled into the 2-D or 3-D supramolecular networks. The fluorescence spectra show that compounds 1–3 possess fluorescence properties with emission peaks around 370 nm.

A new 3-D two-fold interpenetrated framework with sqp net based on Cu6I6 and Cu8I8cluster nodes

With Cu6I6 and Cu8I8clusters as 5-connected nodes, a new 3-D network [Cu14I14(dabco)5(py)] (1) (dabco = 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, py = pyridine) with a two-fold interpenetrated sqp-(44.66) topology has been hydrothermally synthesized. The solid-state luminescence spectrum displays a strong yellow-light emission with λmax = 591 nm at room temperature.

4-Carboxylphthalhydrazidate-bridged layered Pb(II) coordination polymers

The hydrothermal in situ self-assembly of Pb2+, benzene-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (BTCA) and N2H4·H2O created two Pb(II) coordination polymers containing 4-carboxylphthalhydrazidate (CPTH), [Pb(CPTH)(phen)] (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) 1 and [Pb4(OH)2(H2O)3(CPTH)3]·2H2O 2. CPTH is derived from the in situ acylation reaction of BTCA with N2H4·H2O.

A series of metal–organic complexes constructed from in situ generated organic amines

A series of hydrothermal reactions of metallic salts (CoCl2, CdSO4 and ZnCl2), carboxylates (oxalic acid and 1,4-H2BDC) and organic amines (o-PD, Him) have been investigated. Five coordination complexes, [Zn2(bim)4]n (1), Cd(H2bbim)2SO4·1/3(H2O) (2), [Co2(H2bbim)4(bbim)]Cl2 (3), [Co(Hbim)(Him)(C2O4)]n (4) and [Zn(H2bbim)(1,4-BDC)]n (5) (o-PD = o-phenylenediamine, Hbim = benzimidazole, H2bbim = 2,2′-bisbenzimidazole, Him = imidazole, 1,4-H2BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid), were prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, IR, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, fluorescence and magnetic analyses. Interestingly, two different ligands Hbim and H2bbim were generated via hydrothermal in situ reactions of o-PD and oxalic acid during the formation processes of these compounds. In 1, bim ligands bridge each pair of Zn atoms into a single-stranded helical chain through metal–ligand interactions to generate a 2-D grid-like structure. Complex 2 features a mononuclear structure due to the large steric hinderance of H2bbim ligand. Through N–H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds, the dinuclear units of 3 are alternately arranged to afford a unique 1-D helical chain. Complex 4 exhibits a 1-D zig-zag chain which consists of [Co(Hbim)(Him)]2+ units bridged by oxalate ligands, and 5 displays a 1-D chain structure consisting of Zn(H2bbim)2+ units linked by 1,4-BDC ligands.