Layered Zn₂[Co(CN)₆](CH₃COO) double metal cyanide: a two-dimensional DMC phase with excellent catalytic performance

Double metal cyanides (DMCs) are well known, industrially applied catalysts for ring opening polymerization reactions. In recent years, they have been studied for a variety of catalytic reactions, as well as other applications, such as energy storage and Cs sorption. Herein, a new, layered DMC phase (L-DMC), Zn₂[Co(CN)₆](CH₃COO)·4H₂O, was synthesized. The structure, which crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/m, consists of positively charged {Zn₂Co(CN)₆}⁺ DMC layers linked through acetate groups and presents a new layered structure to the family of double metal cyanides. L-DMC proved to be a reusable and stable catalyst that exhibited a higher activity than the benchmark DMC catalyst in two important applications: hydroamination of phenylacetylene with 4-isopropylaniline and polymerization of 1,2-epoxyhexane.