Systematic investigation of the hydrothermal syntheses of Pr(III)-PDA (PDA = pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate anion) metal-organic frameworks

A series of novel two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) praseodymium coordination polymers, namely, {Pr3(PDA)4(HPDA)(H2O)8] x 8H2O}n (2), {Pr2(PDA)3(H2O)3] x H2O}n (3), {Pr(PDA)(H2O)4] x ClO4}n (4), and { Pr2(PDA)2(H2O)5SO4] x 2H2O}n (5) (PDA = pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic anion), was designed and synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Complexes 1-3 (chainlike polymer, {Pr(PDA)(HPDA)(H2O)2] x 4H2O}n (1) was also obtained independently by us, although it has been reported recently by Ghosh et al.) were fabricated successfully by simply tuning the Pr/PDA ratio and exhibited various and intriguing topological structures from a 1D chain to a 3D network. While the synthetic strategy of 5 was triggered and further performed only after 1 was structurally characterized. The complexes were characterized by X-ray single-crystal determination, spectroscopic, and variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility analyses. In complex 2 an unusual nanosized square motif as a building block constructed by eight Pr ions was further assembled into a highly ordered 2D grid compound. In complex 3 the decanuclear Pr metal-based structure as a repeat unit interpenetrated to form a novel 3D polymer. Complex 4 was a 3D network polymer fabricated through a hexanuclear Pr ring as a building block, and ClO4- anions as guests were trapped in the cavity. In complex 5 six Pr atoms, two SO4(2-) anions, and carboxylic oxygen bridges constructed an intriguing rectangle structure as a repeat unit in the grid to form a 2D coordination polymer in which the unique bi-bidentate coordination mode of SO4(2-) anion was observed.