The synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties of three clathrate derivatives of the spin-crossover porous coordination polymer {Fe(pyrazine)[Pt(CN)4]} (1) with five-membered aromatic molecules furan, pyrrole, and thiophene is reported. The three derivatives have a cooperative spin-crossover transition with hysteresis loops 14-29 K wide and average critical temperatures Tc =201 K (1⋅fur), 167 K (1⋅pyr), and 114.6 K (1⋅thio) well below that of the parent compound 1 (Tc =295 K), confirming stabilization of the HS state. The transition is complete and takes place in two steps for 1⋅fur, while 1⋅pyr and 1⋅thio show 50 % spin transition. For 1⋅fur the transformation between the HS and IS (middle of the plateau) phases occurs concomitantly with a crystallographic phase transition between the tetragonal space groups P4/mmm and I4/mmm, respectively. The latter space group is retained in the subsequent transformation involving the IS and the LS phases. 1⋅pyr and 1⋅thio display the tetragonal P4/mmm and orthorhombic Fmmm space groups, respectively, in both HS and IM phases. Periodic calculations using density functional methods for 1⋅fur, 1⋅pyr, 1⋅thio, and previously reported derivatives 1⋅CS2 , 1⋅I, 1⋅bz(benzene), and 1⋅pz(pyrazine) have been carried out to investigate the electronic structure and nature of the host-guest interactions as well as their relationship with the changes in the LS-HS transition temperatures of 1⋅Guest. Geometry-optimized lattice parameters and bond distances in the empty host 1 and 1⋅Guest clathrates are in general agreement with the X-ray diffraction data. The concordance between the theoretical results and the experimental data also comprises the guest molecule orientation inside the host and intermolecular distances. Furthermore, a general correlation between experimental Tc and calculated LS-HS electronic energy gap was observed. Finally, specific host-guest interactions were studied through interaction energy calculations and crystal orbital displacement (COD) curve analysis.

Amorphous coordination polymers and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted much attention owing to their various functionalities. Here, we demonstrate the tunable water adsorption behavior of a series of amorphous cyanide-bridged MOFs with different metals (M­[Ni­(CN)4]: MNi; M = Mn, Fe, and Co). All three compounds adsorb up to six water molecules at a certain vapor pressure (P ads) and undergo conversion to crystalline Hofmann-type MOFs, M­(H2O)2[Ni­(CN)4]·4H2O (MNi–H 2 O; M = Mn, Fe, and Co). The P ads of MnNi, FeNi, and CoNi for water adsorption is P/P 0 = 0.4, 0.6, and 0.9, respectively. Although the amorphous nature of these materials prevented structural elucidation using X-ray crystallography techniques, the local-scale structure around the N-coordinated M2+ centers was analyzed using L2,3-, K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure, and magnetic measurements. Upon hydration, the coordination geometry of these metal centers changed from tetrahedral to octahedral, resulting in significant reorganization of the MOF local structure. On the other hand, Ni­[Ni­(CN)4] (NiNi) containing square-planar Ni2+ centers did not undergo significant structural transformation and therefore abruptly adsorbed H2O in the low-pressure region. We could thus define how changes in the bond lengths and coordination geometry are related to the adsorption properties of amorphous MOF systems.

The ability to design and control properties of nano-sized space in porous coordination polymers (PCPs) would provide us with an ideal stage for fascinating physical and chemical phenomena. We found an interconversion of nuclear-spin isomers for hydrogen molecule H2 adsorbed in a Hofmann-type PCP, {Fe(pz)[Pd(CN)4]} (pz=pyrazine), by the temperature dependence of Raman spectra. The ortho (o)–para (p) conversion process of H2 is forbidden for an isolated molecule. The charge density study using synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction reveals the electric field generated in coordination nano-space. The present results corroborate similar findings observed on different systems and confirm that o–p conversion can occur on non-magnetic solids and that electric field can induce the catalytic hydrogen o–p conversion.

A layered metal–organic framework (MOF) comprising extra-large nanographene sheets, HBC MOF, was successfully synthesized using a dicarboxylic acid derivative of hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBCLH2), and its structure was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystal structure shows that 2D layers composed of a dinuclear Zn2+ complex unit and HBCL are located on top of each other through multiple weak interlayer bonds, affording HBC MOF, having three dimensionally connected nanopores with large nanographene surfaces. The HBC-based nanographene sheets are anchored to the MOF framework via two zinc carboxylate linkages and therefore have an axial rotational freedom. The sorption isotherms of gaseous molecules such as carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons (acetylene, propane, propylene, benzene, and cyclohexane) on HBC MOF all displayed a hysteretic profile with reversible structural changes, as observed by in situ powder X-ray diffraction studies.

Three new manganese coordination polymers, {[Mn2(1,4-NDC)2(phen)2](H2O)}n (1), [Mn2(1,4-NDC)2(phen)(H2O)]n (2) and {[Mn4(1,4-NDC)4(phen)4](DMF)2}n (3) (1,4-H2NDC = 1,4-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline; DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide), have been synthesized solvo/hydrothermally. 1,4-NDC(2-) ligands adopt different coordination modes under different solvents and concentrations which promotes different crystal structure formation. X-ray crystal structural data reveal that compounds 1, 2 and 3 crystallize in monoclinic space groups C2/c, P21/c and C2/c, respectively. Compound 1 has Mn2 dimers connected by 1,4-NDC(2-) linkers, packing into a 2D structure in a grid pattern. Compound 2 has a three-dimensional (3D) structure which is constructed by Mn2 dimers and 1,4-NDC(2-) linkers. Each MnO4N2 node of compound 3 is linked to another by 1,4-NDC(2-) ligands to form a two-dimensional (2D) structure. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibilities of compounds 1-3 exhibit overall weak antiferromagnetic coupling between the adjacent Mn(II) ions.