Construction of 3D layer-pillared homoligand coordination polymers from a 2D layered precursor

Herein, we present a new method for preparing homoligand 3D coordination polymers. First, a layered metal-organic framework Zn3(BDC)3(H2O)2 x 4DMF 1 (BDC is terephthalate, DMF is N,N-dimethylformamide) was fabricated from a H2BDC by liquid-liquid diffusion. Second, the layered product, 1, was used as a precursor to solvothermally react with further H2BDC at 140-180 degrees C, resulting in two products of BDC insertion into the layered structure. These are [Zn3(p-BDC)4] x 2HPIP, 2 (HPIP is partly protonated piperazine), and [Zn3(p-BDC)3(H2BDC)] x (C6H15NO) x H2O x 3DMF, 3 (C6H15NO is triethylamine N-oxide). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction shows that 2 possesses a layer-pillared structure of mu4-BDC, with 1D channels, while 3 has a layer-pillared structure of mu2-BDC, with 2D channels. N2-sorption experiments show 3 has a relatively high BET surface area of 750 m(2)/g. It is proposed that 2 follows the crystal growth mechanism of Ostwald ripening, whereas the crystal structure of 3 might be formed by an insertion mechanism.