Very large breathing effect in the first nanoporous chromium(III)-based solids: MIL-53 or Cr(III)(OH) x [O(2)C-C(6)H(4)-CO(2)] x [HO(2)C-C(6)H(4)-CO(2)H](x) x H(2)O(y)

The first three-dimensional chromium(III) dicarboxylate, MIL-53as or Cr(III)(OH) x [O(2)C-C(6)H(4)-CO(2)].[HO(2)C-C(6)H(4)-CO(2)H](0.75), has been obtained under hydrothermal conditions (as: as-synthesized). The free acid can be removed by calcination giving the resulting solid, MIL-53ht or Cr(III)(OH) x [O(2)C-C(6)H(4)-CO(2)]. At room temperature, MIL-53ht adsorbs atmospheric water immediately to give Cr(III)(OH) x [O(2)C-C(6)H(4)-CO(2)] x H(2)O or MIL-53lt (lt: low-temperature form, ht: high-temperature form). Both structures, which have been determined by using X-ray powder diffraction data, are built up from chains of chromium(III) octahedra linked through terephthalate dianions. This creates a three-dimensional structure with an array of one-dimensional large pore channels filled with free disordered terephthalic molecules (MIL-53as) or water molecules (MIL-53lt); when the free molecules are removed, this leads to a nanoporous solid (MIL-53ht) with a Langmuir surface area over 1500 m(2)/g. The transition between the hydrated form (MIL-53lt) and the anhydrous solid (MIL-53ht) is fully reversible and followed by a very high breathing effect (more than 5 A), the pores being clipped in the presence of water molecules (MIL-53lt) and reopened when the channels are empty (MIL-53ht). The thermal behavior of the two solids has been investigated using TGA and X-ray thermodiffractometry. The sorption properties of MIL-53lt have also been studied using several organic solvents. Finally, magnetism measurements performed on MIL-53as and MIL-53lt revealed that these two phases are antiferromagnetic with Néel temperatures T(N) of 65 and 55 K, respectively. Crystal data for MIL-53as is as follows: orthorhombic space group Pnam with a = 17.340(1) A, b = 12.178(1) A, c = 6.822(1) A, and Z = 4. Crystal data for MIL-53ht is as follows: orthorhombic space group Imcm with a = 16.733(1) A, b = 13.038(1) A, c = 6.812(1) A, and Z = 4. Crystal data for MIL-53lt is as follows: monoclinic space group C2/c with a = 19.685(4) A, b = 7.849(1) A, c = 6.782(1) A, beta = 104.90(1) degrees, and Z = 4.     

Separation of styrene and ethylbenzene on metal-organic frameworks: analogous structures with different adsorption mechanisms

The metal-organic frameworks MIL-47 (V(IV)O{O(2)C-C(6)H(4)-CO(2)}) and MIL-53(Al) (Al(III)(OH)·{O(2)C-C(6)H(4)-CO(2)}) are capable of separating ethylbenzene and styrene. Both materials adsorb up to 20-24 wt % of both compounds. Despite the fact that they have identical building schemes, the reason for preferential adsorption of styrene compared to ethylbenzene is very different for the two frameworks. For MIL-47, diffraction experiments reveal that styrene is packed inside the pores in a unique, pairwise fashion, resulting in separation factors as high as 4 in favor of styrene. These separation factors are independent of the total amount of adsorbate offered. This is due to co-adsorption of ethylbenzene in the space left available between the packed styrene pairs. The separation is of a non-enthalpic nature. On MIL-53, the origin of the preferential adsorption of styrene is related to differences in enthalpy of adsorption, which are based on different degrees of framework relaxation. The proposed adsorption mechanisms are in line with the influence of temperature on the separation factors derived from pulse chromatography: separation factors are independent of temperature for MIL-47 but vary with temperature for MIL-53. Finally, MIL-53 is also capable of removing typical impurities like o-xylene or toluene from styrene-ethylbenzene mixtures.     

High-throughput aided synthesis of the porous metal-organic framework-type aluminum pyromellitate, MIL-121, with extra carboxylic acid functionalization

A new porous metal-organic framework (MOF)-type aluminum pyromellitate (MIL-121 or Al(OH)[H(2)btec]·(guest), (guest = H(2)O, H(4)btec = pyromellitic acid) has been isolated by using a high-throughput synthesis method under hydrothermal conditions. Its structure was determined from powder X-ray diffraction analysis using synchrotron radiation (Soleil, France) and exhibits a network closely related to that of the MIL-53 series. It is a three-dimensional (3D) framework containing one-dimensional (1D) channels delimited by infinite trans-connected aluminum-centered octahedra AlO(4)(OH)(2) linked through the pyromellitate ligand. Here the organic ligand acts as tetradendate linker via two of the carboxylate groups. The two others remain non-bonded in their protonated form, and this constitutes a rare case of the occurrence of both bonding and non-bonding organic functionalities of the MOF family. The non-coordinated -COOH groups points toward the channels to get them an open form configuration. Within the tunnels are located unreacted pyromellitic acid and water species, which are evacuated upon heating, and a porous MIL-121 phase is obtained with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 162 m(2) g(-1). MIL-121 has been characterized by IR, thermogravimetry (TG) analyses, and solid state NMR spectroscopy employing a couple of two-dimensional (2D) techniques such as (1)H-(1)H SQ-DQ BABA, (1)H-(1)H SQ-SQ RFDR, (27)Al{(1)H} CPHETCOR and (27)Al MQMAS.     

VIII(OH)[O2C-C6H4-CO2].(HO2C-C6H4-CO2H)x(DMF)y(H2O)z(or MIL-68), a new vanadocarboxylate with a large pore hybrid topology: reticular synthesis with infinite inorganic building blocks?

V(III)(OH)[O(2)C-C(6)H(4)-CO(2)].(HO(2)C-C(6)H(4)-O(2)H)(x)(DMF)(y)(H(2)O)(z) or MIL-68 was solvothermally synthesised in a non-aqueous medium. Its structure, built up from octahedral chains connected by terephthalate linkers, exhibits large hexagonal channels containing different occluded moieties. Their irreversible removal releases a specific surface area of 603(22) m(2).g(-1)(BET).     

Octahedral tilting in MM'X4 metal-oxide organic layer structures

Three metal-oxide organic frameworks have been synthesized and characterized: vanadium 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate, V2O2F0.6(OH)1.4(BDC).0.4H 2O (1); indium 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate, In 2F2.2(OH)1.8(BDC).1.6H2O (2); and aluminum 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate Al2F3(OH)(BDC) (3). The three-dimensional structures of 1, 2, and 3 have the same framework topology as the previously reported vanadium (III) 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate, VIII2(OH)2F2(BDC). The frameworks consist of inorganic layers constructed from corner sharing ML 6 octahedra (M=V, In, Al and L=OH, F) linked by BDC ligands. The structures are related to a general class of perovskite-related layer structures with composition MM'X4. The layers show characteristic distortions that can be related to tilting of the ML 6 octahedra. In particular the structure of 1 consists of O-V distances that strongly alternate along the b axis. The electronic consequences of this distortion then create a tilting of the 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate ligand about the a axis. Crystal data: 1, orthorhombic, space group Pmna, a=7.101(2) A, b=3.8416(11) A, c=20.570(6) A; 2, orthorhombic, space group Cmcm, a=7.490(4) A, b=21.803(1) A, c=8.154(4) A; 3, monoclinic, space group P2(1)/m, a=10.7569(8) A, b=6.7615(3) A, c=7.1291(3) A, beta=76.02(1) degrees.     

Evidence of CO(2) molecule acting as an electron acceptor on a nanoporous metal-organic-framework MIL-53 or Cr(3+)(OH)(O(2)C-C(6)H(4)-CO(2))

The adsorption mode of CO(2) at low coverage in the nanoporous metal benzenedicarboxylate MIL-53(Cr) or Cr(3+)(OH)(O(2)C-C(6)H(4)-CO(2)) has been identified using IR spectroscopy; the red shift of the nu(3) band and the splitting of the nu(2) mode of CO(2) in addition to the shifts of the nu(OH) and delta(OH) bands of the MIL-53(Cr) hydroxyl groups provide evidence that CO(2) interacts with the oxygen atoms of framework OH groups as an electron-acceptor via its carbon atom; this is the first example of such an interaction between CO(2) and bridged OH groups in a solid.     

Synthesis,structure, and magnetic properties of two new vanadocarboxylates with three-dimensional hybrid frameworks

(V(III)(OH))(2)[C(6)H(2)(CO(2))(4)].4H(2)O (labeled MIL-60) and V(III)(OH)[(2)(O(2)C)C(6)H(2)(COOH)(2)].H(2)O (labeled MIL-61) were hydrothermally synthesized from mixtures of VCl(3), 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid, and water heated for 3 days at 473 K. The structure of MIL-60 was solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data in the triclinic centrosymmetric P1 (No. 2) space group with lattice parameters a = 6.3758(5) A, b = 6.8840(5) A, c = 9.0254(5) A, alpha = 69.010(2) degrees, beta = 85.197(2) degrees, gamma = 79.452(2) degrees, V = 363.53(5) A(3), and Z = 1. The structure of MIL-61 was ab initio determined from an X-ray powder diffraction pattern. MIL-61 crystallizes in the Pnma (No. 62) orthorhombic space group with lattice parameters a = 14.8860(1) A, b = 6.9164(1) A, c = 10.6669(2) A, V = 1098.23(3) A(3), and Z = 4. Both structures contain the same inorganic building block that consists of trans chains of V(III)O(4)(OH)(2) octahedra. The three-dimensional frameworks of MIL-60 and MIL-61 are constituted by the linkage of these chains via the organic molecules so delimiting the channels or cages where the water molecules are encapsulated. The magnetic behavior of these two phases is presented: MIL-60 is paramagnetic, and MIL-61 antiferromagnetically orders below T(N) = 55(5) K.     

Incorporation of metallocenes into the channel structured Metal-Organic Frameworks MIL-53(Al) and MIL-47(V)

A selection of metallocene inclusion compounds with channel structured MOFs (MOF = Metal-Organic Framework) were obtained via solvent-fee adsorption of the metallocenes from the gas-phase. The adsorbate structures ferrocene(0.5)@MIL-53(Al) (MIL-53(Al) = [Al(OH)(bdc)](n) with bdc = 1,4-terephthalate), ferrocene(0.25)@MIL-47(V) (MIL-47(V) = [V(O)(bdc)](n)), cobaltocene(0.25)@MIL-53(Al), cobaltocene(0.5)@MIL-47(V), 1-formylferrocene(0.33)@MIL-53(Al), 1,1'dimethylferrocene(0.33)@MIL-53(Al), 1,1'-diformylferrocene(0.5)@MIL-53(Al) were determined from powder X-ray diffraction data and were analyzed concerning the packing and orientation of the guest species. The packing of the ferrocene guest molecules inside MIL-47(V) is significantly different compared to MIL-53(Al) due to the lower breathing effect and weaker hydrogen bonds between the guest molecules and the host network in the case of MIL-47(V). The orientation of the metallocene molecule is also influenced by the substituents (CH(3) and CHO) at the cyclopentadienyl ring and the interaction with the bridging OH group of MIL-53(Al). The inclusion of redox active cobaltocene into MIL-47(V) leads to the formation of a charge transfer compound with a negatively charged framework. The reduction of the vanadium centers is stoichiometric. The resulting material is a mixed valence compound with a V(3+)/V(4+) ratio of 1:1. The new compounds were characterized via thermal gravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, solid state NMR, and differential pulse voltammetry. Both systems are 1D-channel pore structures. The metallocene adsorbate induced breathing effect of MIL-53(Al) is more pronounced compared to MIL-47(V), this can be explained by the different bridging groups between the MO(6) clusters.     

p-Xylene-selective metal-organic frameworks: a case of topology-directed selectivity

Para-disubstituted alkylaromatics such as p-xylene are preferentially adsorbed from an isomer mixture on three isostructural metal-organic frameworks: MIL-125(Ti) ([Ti(8)O(8)(OH)(4)(BDC)(6)]), MIL-125(Ti)-NH(2) ([Ti(8)O(8)(OH)(4)(BDC-NH(2))(6)]), and CAU-1(Al)-NH(2) ([Al(8)(OH)(4)(OCH(3))(8)(BDC-NH(2))(6)]) (BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate). Their unique structure contains octahedral cages, which can separate molecules on the basis of differences in packing and interaction with the pore walls, as well as smaller tetrahedral cages, which are capable of separating molecules by molecular sieving. These experimental data are in line with predictions by molecular simulations. Additional adsorption and microcalorimetric experiments provide insight in the complementary role of the two cage types in providing the para selectivity.     

Synthesis and characterization of a new three-dimensional lanthanide carboxyphosphonate: Ln(4)(H(2)O)(7)[O(2)C-C(5)H(10)N-CH(2)(-)PO(3)](4)(H(2)O)(5)

The first open-framework lanthanide carboxyphosphonate has been obtained under hydrothermal conditions. The three-dimensional structure of MIL-84(Pr) (MIL = Material Institut Lavoisier) or Pr(4)(H(2)O)(7)[O(2)C-C(5)H(10)N-CH(2)(-)PO(3)](4)(H(2)O)(5) has been solved from X-ray diffraction single-crystal data (a = 23.481(1) A, b = 10.159(1) A, c = 23.006(1) A, beta = 105.63(1) degrees, V = 5284.6(6) A(3), space group Cc (No. 9)). Its framework is built up from chains of edged-sharing eight or nine-coordinated monocapped square antiprism polyhedra and carboxyphosphonate anions, creating a three-dimensional structure with small pores filled with water molecules. The thermal behavior of MIL-84(Pr) has been investigated using TGA and X-ray thermodiffractometry and indicates that MIL-84(Pr) is stable up to 523 K with a reversible hydration-dehydration process. The optical study of its yttrium analogue doped at 3.4% with europium (MIL-84(Y,Eu)) reveals a significant red-orange emission under UV radiation.     

MIL-96, a porous aluminum trimesate 3D structure constructed from a hexagonal network of 18-membered rings and mu3-oxo-centered trinuclear units

A new aluminum trimesate Al12O(OH)18(H2O)3(Al2(OH)4)[btc]6.24H2O, denominated MIL-96, was synthesized under mild hydrothermal conditions (210 degrees C, 24 h) in the presence of 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (trimesic acid or H3btc) in water. Hexagonal crystals, allowing a single-crystal XRD analysis, are grown from a mixture of trimethyl 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate (Me3btc), HF, and TEOS. The MIL-96 structure exhibits a three-dimensional (3D) framework containing isolated trinuclear mu3-oxo-bridged aluminum clusters and infinite chains of AlO4(OH)2 and AlO2(OH)4 octahedra forming a honeycomb lattice based on 18-membered rings. The two types of aluminum groups are connected to each other through the trimesate species, which induce corrugated chains of aluminum octahedra, linked via mu2-hydroxo bonds with the specific -cis-cis-trans- sequence. The 3D framework of MIL-96 reveals three types of cages. Two of them, centered at the special positions 0 0 0 and 2/3 1/3 1/4, have estimated pore volumes of 417 and 635 A3, respectively, and encapsulate free water molecules. The third one has a smaller pore volume and contains disordered aluminum octahedral species (Al(OH)6). The solid-state NMR characterization is consistent with crystal structure and elemental and thermal analyses. The four aluminum crystallographic sites are resolved by means of 27Al 3QMAS technique. This product is able to sorb both carbon dioxide and methane at room temperature (4.4 mmol.g(-1) for CO2 and 1.95 mmol.g(-1) for CH4 at 10 bar) and hydrogen at 77 K (1.91 wt % under 3 bar).     

Hydrogen adsorption in the nanoporous metal-benzenedicarboxylate M(OH)(O2C-C6H4-CO2) (M = Al3+, Cr3+), MIL-53

Hydrogen adsorption has been studied in the nanoporous metal-benzenedicarboxylate M(OH)(O2C-C6H4-CO2) (M = Al3+, Cr3+); these solids show a hydrogen storage capacity of 3.8 and 3.1 wt.% respectively when loaded at 77 K under 1.6 MPa.     

Wide control of proton conductivity in porous coordination polymers

The proton conductivities of the porous coordination polymers M(OH)(bdc-R) [H(2)bdc = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid; M = Al, Fe; R = H, NH(2), OH, (COOH)(2)] were investigated under humid conditions. Good correlations among pK(a), proton conductivity, and activation energy were observed. Fe(OH)(bdc-(COOH)(2)), having carboxy group and the lowest pK(a), showed the highest proton conductivity and the lowest activation energy in this system. This is the first example in which proton conductivity has been widely controlled by substitution of ligand functional groups in an isostructural series.     

Metal-organic framework MIL-53(Al): synthesis,catalytic performance for the Friedel-Crafts acylation,and reaction mechanism

Metal-organic framework MIL-53(Al) was synthesized by a solvothermal method using aluminum nitrate as the aluminium source and 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H₂BDC) as the organic ligand. The structure of samples was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The catalytic activity and recyclability of MIL-53(Al) catalyst for the Friedel-Crafts acylation reaction of indole with benzoyl chloride were evaluated. The reaction conditions were optimized and a reaction mechanism was suggested. The results showed that the MIL-53(Al) catalyst exhibited good catalytic activity and recyclability for the Friedel-Crafts acylation reaction. When the molar ratio of indole and MIL-53(Al) catalyst was 1:0.06 (n ₁:n _catalyst), the molar ratio of indole and benzoyl chloride was 1:3, and the solvent was dichloromethane, the conversion of indole could reach 97.1% and the selectivity of 3-acylindole could reach 81.1% at 25 °C after 8 h. The catalyst can be reused without significant degradation in catalytic activity. After the catalyst was reused five times, the conversion of indole was 87.6% and the selectivity of 3-acylindole was 79.5%.     

Chemistry-structure-simulation or chemistry-simulation-structure sequences? The case of MIL-34, a new porous aluminophosphate

A new aluminophosphate, MIL-34, is investigated from its as-synthesized structure to its calcined microporous form. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements on the as-synthesized MIL-34 (Al(4)(PO(4))(4)OH x C(4)H(10)N, space group P-1, a = 8.701(3) A, b = 9.210(3) A, c = 12.385(3) A, alpha = 111.11(2) degrees, beta = 101.42(2) degrees, gamma = 102.08(2) degrees, V = 863.8(4) A(3), Z = 2, R = 3.8%) reveal a 3-D open framework where Al atoms are in both tetrahedral and trigonal bipyramidal coordinations. It contains a 2-D pore system defined by eight rings where channels along [100] cross channels running along [010] and [110]. CBuA molecules are trapped at their intersection. (27)Al, (31)P, and (1)H MAS NMR spectroscopies corroborate these structural features. Calcination treatments of a powder sample of the as-synthesized MIL-34 indicate its transformation into the related template-free structure that is stable up to 1000 degrees C. Lattice energy minimizations are then used in order to anticipate the crystal structure of the calcined MIL-34, starting with the knowledge of the as-synthesized structure exclusively. Energy minimizations predict a new regular zeotype structure (AlPO(4), space group P-1, a = 8.706 A, b = 8.749 A, c = 12.768 A, alpha = 111.17 degrees, beta = 97.70 degrees, gamma = 105.14 degrees, V = 846.75 A(3), Z = 2) together with a thermodynamic stability similar to that of existing zeotype AlPOs. Excellent agreement is observed between the diffraction pattern calculated from the predicted calcined MIL-34 and the experimental X-ray powder diffraction pattern of the calcined sample. Finally, the atomic coordinates and cell parameters of the calcined MIL-34 predicted from the simulations are used to perform the Rietveld refinement of the calcined sample powder pattern, further corroborated by (27)Al and (31)P NMR measurements. This unique combination of experiment and simulation approaches is an interesting and innovative strategy in materials sciences, where simulations articulate the prediction of a possible template-free framework from its as-synthesized templated form. This is especially valuable when straightforward characterizations of the solid of interest with conventional techniques are not easy to carry out.     

Tossing and turning: guests in the flexible frameworks of metal(III) dicarboxylates

Single crystals of Ga(OH)(C(8)H(4)O(4)).0.74C(8)H(6)O(4) (2) and Ga(OH,F)(C(8)H(4)O(4)).0.74C(8)H(6)O(4) (3) were obtained under hydrothermal conditions. The structures of 2 and 3 have the same topological framework as the previously reported aluminum 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (BDC), Al(OH)(C(8)H(4)O(4)).0.7C(8)H(6)O(4) (1). The frameworks are built by interconnecting M-OH-M chains (M = Al, Ga) with BDC anions to form large diamond-shaped one-dimensional channels filled with additional H(2)BDC guest molecules occupying disordered positions in the channels. Upon removal of H(2)BDC, other guest molecules such as H(2)O and pyridine can be inserted. In this work, we present a study of the intercalation of aromatic guests (BDC and pyridine) into frameworks of 1-3 by liquid and vapor diffusion into the empty channels of 1 and by single-crystal-to-single-crystal solvothermal guest exchange for 2 and 3. In the case of Al(OH)BDC and Ga(OH,F)BDC, two interconvertible, guest-concentration-dependent phases with different orientations of the pyridine guests have been observed, while only one pyridine orientation is found in Ga(OH)BDC.     

Overcoming Crystallinity Limitations of Aluminium Metal-Organic Frameworks by Oxalic Acid Modulated Synthesis

A modulated synthesis approach based on the chelating properties of oxalic acid (H₂C₂O₄) is presented as a robust and versatile method to achieve highly crystalline Al-based metal-organic frameworks. A comparative study on this method and the already established modulation by hydrofluoric acid was conducted using MIL-53 as test system. The superior performance of oxalic acid modulation in terms of crystallinity and absence of undesired impurities is explained by assessing the coordination modes of the two modulators and the structural features of the product. The validity of our approach was confirmed for a diverse set of Al-MOFs, namely X-MIL-53 (X=OH, CH₃O, Br, NO₂), CAU-10, MIL-69, and Al(OH)ndc (ndc=1,4-naphtalenedicarboxylate), highlighting the potential benefits of extending the use of this modulator to other coordination materials.     

Identification of a near-linear supramolecular water dimer, (H2O)2, in the channel of an inorganic framework material

Supramolecular water dimer, (H(2)O)(2), is fundamentally important. During the course of our work on polyoxometalates, we have been able to identify the existence of hydrogen-bonded, near-linear water dimers in the "sinuous" channels of an inorganic framework material, Na(3)(n)(H(2)O)(6)(n)[Al(OH)(6)Mo(6)O(18)](n)() x 2nH(2)O, 1. The three-dimensional network structure of 1 in the solid state is assembled by the Anderson type of heteropolyanions as building blocks sharing sodium cations. Vibrational spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction technique, TG-DSC analyses, and single-crystal X-ray structure analysis have characterized this host-guest system, 1. Crystal data for 1: triclinic space group Ponemacr;, a = 12.0618 (3) A, b = 13.1570 (4) A, c = 14.1563 (4) A, alpha = 80.7850 (10) degrees, beta = 75.2660 (10) degrees, gamma = 68.9210 (10) degrees, and Z = 3.     

Flexible porous metal-organic frameworks for a controlled drug delivery

Flexible nanoporous chromium or iron terephtalates (BDC) MIL-53(Cr, Fe) or M(OH)[BDC] have been used as matrices for the adsorption and in vitro drug delivery of Ibuprofen (or alpha- p-isobutylphenylpropionic acid). Both MIL-53(Cr) and MIL-53(Fe) solids adsorb around 20 wt % of Ibuprofen (Ibuprofen/dehydrated MIL-53 molar ratio = 0.22(1)), indicating that the amount of inserted drug does not depend on the metal (Cr, Fe) constitutive of the hybrid framework. Structural and spectroscopic characterizations are provided for the solid filled with Ibuprofen. In each case, the very slow and complete delivery of Ibuprofen was achieved under physiological conditions after 3 weeks with a predictable zero-order kinetics, which highlights the unique properties of flexible hybrid solids for adapting their pore opening to optimize the drug-matrix interactions.     

Ba3[Ge2B7O16(OH)2](OH)(H2O) and Ba3Ge2B6O16: novel alkaline-earth borogermanates based on two types of polymeric borate units and GeO4 tetrahedra

Two new barium borogermanates with two types of novel structures, namely, Ba(3)[Ge(2)B(7)O(16)(OH)(2)](OH)(H(2)O) and Ba(3)Ge(2)B(6)O(16), have been synthesized by hydrothermal or high-temperature solid-state reactions. They represent the first examples of alkaline-earth borogermanates. Ba(3)[Ge(2)B(7)O(16)(OH)(2)](OH)(H(2)O) crystallized in a polar space group Cc. Its structure features a novel three-dimensional anionic framework composed of [B(7)O(16)(OH)(2)](13-) polyanions that are bridged by Ge atoms with one-dimensional (1D) 10-membered-ring (MR) tunnels along the b axis. The Ba(II) cations, hydroxide ions, and water molecules are located at the above tunnels. Ba(3)Ge(2)B(6)O(16) crystallizes in centrosymmetric space group P1. Its structure exhibits a thick layer composed of circular B(6)O(16) units connected by GeO(4) tetrahedra via corner sharing, forming 1D 4- and 6-MR tunnels along the c axis. Ba1 ions reside in the tunnels of the 6-MRs, whereas Ba2 ions are located at the interlayer space. Both compounds feature new types of topological structures. Second-harmonic-generation (SHG) measurements indicate that Ba(3)[Ge(2)B(7)O(16)(OH)(2)](OH)(H(2)O) displays a weak SHG response of about 0.3 times that of KH(2)PO(4). Optical, thermal stability, and ferroelectric properties as well as theoretical calculations have also been performed.