To build high-dimensional cucurbit[n]uril-based
(Q[n]) coordination polymers, the introduction of
a second ligand has been proven to be a feasible strategy. In this
work, we employed the multiaromatic carboxylate ligands with amide
linkages, 4,4′,4″-[1,3,5-benzenetriyltris(carbonylimino)]trisbenzoic
acid (H3BTTA) and bis(3,5-dicarboxyphenyl)terephthalamide
(H4BDTA), as the second ligand to react with Q[6] and KCl
or CaCl2 to obtain four novel Q[6]-based coordination polymers
successfully with formulas {[Ca(H2O)2(HBTTA)(Q[6])]·11H2O} (1), {[Ca2(H2O)5(CH3OH)(BTTA)(Q[6])]·Cl·24H2O} (2), {[K2(H2O)5(BDTA)0.5(Q[6])]·17H2O} (3), and {[Ca2(H2O)6(BDTA)(Q[6])0.5]·6H2O} (4). According to the crystal structural analysis,
the coordination among the central metal cations K+/Ca2+, Q[6] molecules, and carboxylate ligands generates one-dimensional
(1D) coordination chains in complex 1 and two-dimensional
(2D) coordination networks in complexes 2–4, respectively, in which complex 2 displayed
accessible one-dimensional (1D) channels along the a-axis. Meanwhile, the outer-surface interactions of Q[6] with the
carboxylate ligands play an essential role in the formation of the
final supramolecular three-dimensional (3D) frameworks of these complexes.
Furthermore, the iodine adsorption properties of these four complexes
were investigated and the results indicated that complex 2 was capable of effectively removing iodine from hexane and aqueous
solution, while the other three complexes displayed no distinct absorption
capacity for iodine, which may be related to the presence of 1D channels
in complex 2.