Temperature-controlled chiral and achiral copper tetrazolate metal-organic frameworks: syntheses, structures, and I2 adsorption

Four tetrazole-based three-dimensional (3D) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), {[Cu(II)(btz)]·0.5H(2)O}(n) (1), [Cu(II)(btz)](n) (1'), {[Cu(II)(btz)]·0.5I(2)}(n) (1'·0.5I(2)), and [Cu(II)Cu(I)(2)(btz)(2)](n) (2) [H(2)btz = 1,5-bis(5-tetrazolo)-3-oxapentane)], have been successfully obtained and characterized by crystallography. Compound 1 features a chiral porous framework. The bulk crystallization of 1 is composed of enantiomers 1a (P4(1)) and 1b (P4(3)), which has been demonstrated by the crystal structure analyses of nine crystals of 1 randomly selected. The Cotton effect displayed in the solid-state circular dichroism spectrum of 1 is therefore attributed to enantiomeric excess rather than enantiopurity. The completely dehydrated phase of 1, that is, 1', can adsorb 0.5 I(2) molecule per formula unit to yield compound 1'·0.5I(2), which has been supported by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. The locations of I(2) in the pores were unambiguously determined, and the interactions between I(2) molecules and the pore structures were investigated. Compound 2 crystallizes in an achiral C2/c space group. Interestingly, the formations of chiral 1 and achiral 2 significantly depend on the reaction temperature. Between 80 and 140 °C, we got compound 1 as the only product. At 150 °C, both 1 and 2 were in coexistence in the final product. From 160 to 180 °C, only compound 2 was obtained. More interestingly, treatment of the crystals of 1 or the mixture of 1 and 2 obtained at 150 °C in their mother liquor at 170 °C yielded the crystals of 2 in a single phase.