High-throughput computational methods capable of predicting, evaluating and identifying promising synthetic candidates with desired properties are highly appealing to today's scientists. Despite some successes, in silico design of crystalline materials with complex three-dimensionally extended structures remains challenging. Here we demonstrate the application of a new genomic approach to ABC-6 zeolites, a family of industrially important catalysts whose structures are built from the stacking of modular six-ring layers. The sequences of layer stacking, which we deem the genes of this family, determine the structures and the properties of ABC-6 zeolites. By enumerating these gene-like stacking sequences, we have identified 1,127 most realizable new ABC-6 structures out of 78 groups of 84,292 theoretical ones, and experimentally realized 2 of them. Our genomic approach can extract crucial structural information directly from these gene-like stacking sequences, enabling high-throughput identification of synthetic targets with desired properties among a large number of candidate structures.
Three new chloride-rich zincophosphates including two zero-dimensional (0D) clusters [dl-Co(en)3]2[Zn4(H2PO4)2(HPO4)2Cl8] (denoted ZnPO-CJ33) and [d-Co(en)3]2[Zn4(H2PO4)2(HPO4)2Cl8] (denoted ZnPO-CJ34), and one-dimensional (1D) zincophosphate chain [dl-Co(en)3][Zn2(H2PO4)(HPO4)2Cl2] (denoted ZnPO-CJ35) have been solvothermally prepared. ZnPO-CJ33 and ZnPO-CJ34 possess the same cluster structure as the macroanionic [Zn4H6P4O16Cl8]6- unit formed by alternation of ZnOCl3/ZnO3Cl and HPO4/H2PO4 tetrahedra but differ in the countercations. The racemic [dl-Co(en)3]3+ cations are located among the clusters of ZnPO-CJ33, whereas chiral [d-Co(en)3]3+ cations are located among the clusters of ZnPO-CJ34. ZnPO-CJ34 templated by the optically pure chiral [d-Co(en)3]3+ cations is the first chiral monomeric zincophosphate. ZnPO-CJ35 templated by the racemic [dl-Co(en)3]3+ cations possesses a 1D infinite chain structure formed by the alternation of ZnO3Cl and HPO4/H2PO4 tetrahedra. The 1D chain structure of ZnPO-CJ35 can also be viewed as generated from the condensation of 0D clusters of ZnPO-CJ33, with the terminal Cl ions replaced by HPO4 groups. Experimentally, the structural transformation from ZnPO-CJ33 to ZnPO-CJ35 has been investigated.
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