Effect of the apical ligand on the geometry and magnetic properties of copper(ii)/mesoxalate trinuclear units

Investigating the Conformations of a Family of [M2L3]4+ Helicates Using Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction

We present five new dinuclear triple helicate compounds of types [Mn₂L₃](ClO₄)₄, [Co₂L₃](BF₄)₄, [Ni₂L₃](BF₄)₄, [Cu₂L₃](BF₄)₄, and [Zn₂L₃](BF₄)₄, where L is a previously reported semi-rigid ligand incorporating two α-diimine primary donor groups and two secondary 4-pyridyl donor groups. All complexes have been characterized in both solution and the solid state. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies were used to probe the variation in the respective helical structures as the coordinated metal ion was altered, including the effect on the orientations of the secondary binding domains. The influence of the metal ion size, the spin state in the case of Fe(II), and the presence of Jahn-Teller distortions on the overall helical structure has been investigated. These results form a basis for the design and construction of new large metallosupramolecular architectures which manifest properties associated with the constituent helical metalloligand units.

Improvement of the Proton Conduction of Copper(II)-Mesoxalate Metal-Organic Frameworks by Strategic Selection of the Counterions

Three copper(II)/mesoxalate-based MOFs with formulas (H₃O)[Cu₉(Hmesox)₆(H₂O)₆Cl]·8H₂O (1), (NH₂Me₂)_0.4(H₃O)_0.6[Cu₉(Hmesox)₆(H₂O)₆Cl]·8H₂O (2), and (enH₂)_0.25(enH)_1.5[Cu₆(Hmesox)₃(mesox)(H₂O)₆Cl_0.5]Cl_0.5·5.25H₂O (3) were synthesized (H₄mesox = mesoxalic acid = 2,2-dihydroxypropanedioic acid, en = ethylenediamine). Essentially, all of the compounds display the same anionic network with a different arrangement of the cations, which have a remarkable effect on the proton conduction of the materials, ranging from 1.16 × 10^–4 S cm^–1 for 1 to 1.87 × 10^–3 S cm^–1 for 3 (at 80 °C and 95% RH). These compounds also display antiferromagnetic coupling among the copper(II) ions through both the carboxylate and alkoxido bridges. The values of the principal magnetic coupling constants were calculated by density functional theory (DFT), leading to congruent values that confirm the predominant antiferromagnetic nature of the interactions.

Three copper(II)-mesoxalate metal−organic frameworks were synthesized in the presence of three different cations: hydronium, dimethylammonium, and ethylenediammonium, which neutralize the charge of the anionic networks. Besides the crystallographic characterization and the investigation of the magnetic properties, the compounds show varying proton conductivities depending on the included cations. The proton conductivity increases 1 order of magnitude in the case of compound 3 (1.87 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ at 80 °C and 95% RH), which contains ethylenediammonium cations.