A new family of two-dimensional metal coordination polymers with the general formula ∞ 2 [M(ox)(bpy)] (M ) Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Zn(II); ox ) C 2 O 4 2-; bpy ) 4,4′-bipyridine) have been designed and synthesized via hydrothermal routes. Quantitative yields were obtained in all cases. The title compounds ∞ 2 [Fe(ox)(bpy)] (I),, and ∞ 2 [Zn(ox)(bpy)] (IV) represent the first coordination network structure constructed by bridging oxalate and 4,4′-bpy mixed ligands. I-IV are isostructural and belong to the orthorhombic crystal system, space group Immm (No. 71). The noninterpenetrated structure contains octahedral metal centers coordinated by two oxalate and two bpy ligands to form a two-dimensional layered network. Within each layer, relatively large rectangular voids are formed by four adjacent metal centers and the ligands bonded to them. The approximate dimensions of these cavities are 4 × 7 × 10 Å in the composite three-dimensional structures. Magnetic susceptibility and field-dependent magnetization measurements revealed spontaneous magnetic ordering with transition temperatures of 12, 13, and 26 K for I, II, and III, respectively. The types of ordering are interpreted as the antiferromagnetic kind with certain canting structures. The µ eff values yielded from the fitting of χ(T) indicate the high spin states of M ions in all three compounds. The origin of the magnetic ordering in these compounds may be attributed to the strong exchange interactions between the M ions at the octahedral sites through the bridging oxalate molecules along the a-axis. Possible interchain coupling along the [011] direction is also considered. Thermogravimetric analysis studies indicate that all four compounds are thermally stable up to 290 °C (the on-set temperature of weight losses for I, 290 °C; II, 340 °C; III, 350 °C; and IV, 290 °C).

The first removable solid-state iodine inclusion eclipsed two-dimensional coordination polymer with an unusually stable open-channel structure has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction technique.

By controlling stoichiometry, three Copper(I) containing coordination polymers [Cu2Cl2(bpy)] (I), [Cu2Br2(bpy)] (II), and [CuBr(bpy)] (III) (bpy = 4,4‘-bipyridine) have been synthesized in superheated water at 170 °C. The crystal structures of I and II are two-dimensional networks composed of Cu2X2 double chains bridged by 4,4‘-bpy molecules through the nitrogen sites. The structure of III is a three-dimensional interpenetrating network constructed by concatenated 2D sheets. TGA studies indicate that these compounds are thermally stable up to 220 °C.

Rodlike hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles were synthesized at 60 °C through a biomimetic pathway from Ca(NO 3 ) 2 • 4H 2 O, H 3 PO 4 , and NH 4 OH. The polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a capping agent was used to regulate the nucleation and crystal growth of HAp crystal. X-ray diffraction results combined with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy indicated that single phase, nanocrystal HAp powder could be obtained in one-step and the addition of PVP facilitated the preferential growth of nanocrystal HAp along the <002> axis. The formation mechanism of rodlike HAp crystal and the effects of PVP on the crystal nucleation and growth were discussed based on transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results.