Design of crystalline layered coordination polymers that respond to light and heat stimuli

Layered coordination polymers have attracted significant attention as a class of crystsalline materials characterized by the layer-by-layer stacking of rigid two-dimensional (2D) coordination networks. One of their remarkable features is the flexibility of their crystal structures, which allows for interlayer displacement, swelling, and exfoliation. Incorporating stimuli-responsive moieties into their structures is a promising strategy for the rational design of layered coordination polymers with targeted flexible properties and functions. Despite the challenges associated with crystal design, a variety of stimuli-responsive layered coordination polymers have been developed over the past two decades. This article provides an overview of representative examples of layered coordination polymers whose properties and functions can be modulated by photo- and thermal stimuli.