Selective Separation of Aliphatic Nitriles by Employing a Two‐Dimensional Interdigitated Coordination Polymer

A room‐temperature slow diffusion reaction of the metal nitrates M=Zn^II and Co^II] with 5‐azido isophthalic acid (AIPA) and 1,4‐bis(4‐pyridyl)‐2,3‐diaza‐1,3‐butadiene (BPDB) resulted in a new two‐dimensional interdigitated coordination polymer, M(C₈H₃N₃O₄)(C₁₂H₁₀N₄)] ⋅ DMF DMF=dimethyl formamide (C₃H₇NO)]. The non‐bonded DMF molecules were found to exchange through a single‐crystal to single‐crystal (SCSC) fashion with many aliphatic nitrile compounds. More importantly, the present compound, I⋅DMF (Zn) appears to absorb cis ‐crotononitrile selectively from the cis /trans mixture as well as a mixture containing the structural isomer (allylnitrile). It also preferentially absorbs propionitrile from an equimolar mixture of acetonitrile, propionitrile, and butyronitrile (1:2:1). The cobalt compound exhibits anti‐ferromagnetic behavior.