The two-dimensional
(2-D) catena-{Co(amp)3Cr(ox)3·6H2O}(amp = 2-picolylamine, ox = oxalate)
compound is built by the [Co(amp)3]3+ (D) and
[Cr(ox)3]3– (A) ions via multiple hydrogen
bonds and hosts well-resolved R12 dodecameric discrete water cluster
rings between its stacked layers. It undergoes reversible single crystal
to single crystal transformation upon dehydration and rehydration
in air, both processes being correlated to gradual changes from brown
(hydrated phase) to green (dehydrated phase) and vice versa. The water
uptake mass of this compound is 0.13 g/g of sample, and the rehydration
process needs 90 min. The rate limiting step of the rehydration process
is the diffusion of the water molecules into the framework of the
dehydrated phase because the latter does not have voids. The 2-D catena-{Co(amp)3Cr(ox)3·6H2O} can undergo
many cycles of dehydration/rehydration (breathing) processes without
losing its crystallinity. During these processes, its unit cell contracts
and expands by 9.39% along the a axis, 12.22% along b, and 2.03% along c for a total volume
change of 22.03%. The breakage and formation of some hydrogen bonds
in the compound take place alongside the processes, especially along
the b axis, which is the main direction of modification
of the unit cell. One of these hydrogen bonds is responsible for the
modification of the coordination polyhedron around the chromium(III)
ions which becomes less distorted and provokes the gradual thermochromic
property observed in this compound.