A Cd(II)-based coordination polymer {[Cd2(5-F-1,3-bpeb)2(FBA)4]·H2O}
n
(CP
1
) was obtained from
Cd(II) salt, 5-fluoro-1,3-bis[2-(4-pyridyl)ethenyl]benzene (5-F-1,3-bpeb),
and p-fluorobenzoic acid (HFBA). Within the one-dimensional
chain structure of CP
1
, a pair
of 5-F-1,3-bpeb was arranged in a face-to-face style. Upon UV irradiation
and heat treatment, multiple cyclobutane isomers, including specific
monocyclobutanes (1 with an endo-cyclobutane
ring in CP
1
-1 and 1′ with an exo-cyclobutane ring in CP
1
-1′) and dicyclobutanes
(endo,endo-dicyclobutane 2α in CP
1
-2α, exo,endo-dicyclobutane 2β in CP
1
-2β, and exo,exo-dicyclobutane 2γ in CP
1
-2γ) were stereoselectively produced. These isomers
could be interconverted inside the CP via cutting/coupling
specific bonds, which may be regarded as a type of molecular surgery.
The precision of cutting/coupling relied on the thermal stability
of the cyclobutanes and the alignment of the reactive alkene centers.
The conversion processes were tracked through nuclear magnetic resonance,
in situ powder X-ray diffraction, and IR spectroscopy. This approach
can be considered as skeletal editing to construct complex organic
compounds directly from one precursor.
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