Covalent metal-organic networks: pyridines induce 2-dimensional oligomerization of (mu-OC6H4O)2Mpy2 (M = Ti, V, Zr)

Treatment of M(OiPr)4 (M = Ti, V) and Zr(OEt)4]4 with excess 1,4-HOC6H4OH in THF afforded M(OC6H4O)a(OC6H4OH)3.34-1.83a(OiPr)0.66-0.17a(THF)0.2]n (M = Ti, 1-Ti; V, 1-V, 0.91 < or = a < or = 1.82) and Zr(1,4-OC6H4O)2-x(OEt)2x]n (1-Zr, x = 0.9). The combination of of 1-M (M = Ti, V, Zr) or M(OiPr)4 (M = Ti, V), excess 1,4- or 1,3-HOC6H4OH, and pyridine or 4-phenylpyridine at 100 degrees C for 1 d to 2 weeks afforded various 2-dimensional covalent metal-organic networks: cis-M(mu 1,4-OC6H4O)2py2] infinity (2-M, M = Ti, Zr), trans-M(mu 1,4-OC6H4O)2py2.py] infinity (3-M, M = Ti, V), solid solutions trans-TixV1-x(mu 1,4-OC6H4O)2py2.py] infinity (3-TixV1-x, x approximately 0.4, 0.6, 0.9), trans-M(mu 1,4-OC6H4O)2(4-Ph-py)2] infinity (4-M, M = Ti, V), trans-Ti(mu 1,3-OC6H4O)2py2] infinity (5-Ti), and trans-Ti(mu 1,3-OC6H4O)2(4-Ph-py)2] infinity (6-Ti). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments confirmed the pleated sheet structure of 2-Ti, the flat sheet structure of 3-Ti, and the rippled sheet structures of 4-Ti, 5-Ti, and 6-Ti. Through protolytic quenching studies and by correspondence of powder XRD patterns with known titanium species, the remaining complexes were structurally assigned. With py or 4-Ph-py present, aggregation of titanium centers is disrupted, relegating the building block to the cis- or trans-(ArO)4Tipy2 core. The sheet structure types are determined by the size of the metal and the interpenetration of the layers, which occurs primarily through the pyridine residues and inhibits intercalation chemistry.