Reactions between the tritopic pyrazole-based ligand 1,3,5-tris(1H-pyrazol-4-yl)benzene (H3BTP) and transition metal acetate salts in DMF afford microporous pyrazolate-bridged metal–organic frameworks of the type M3(BTP)2*xsolvent (M = Ni (1), Cu, (2), Zn (3), Co (4)). Ab-initio X-ray powder diffraction methods were employed in determining the crystal structures of these compounds, revealing 1 and 2 to exhibit an expanded sodalite-like framework with accessible metal cation sites, while 3 and 4 possess tetragonal frameworks with hydrophobic surfaces and narrower channel diameters. Compounds 1–4 can be Desolvated without loss of crystallinity by heating under dynamic vacuum, giving rise to microporous solids with BET surface areas of 1650, 1860, 930 and 1027 m2/g, respectively. Thermogravimetric analyses and powder X-ray diffraction measurements demonstrate the exceptional thermal and chemical stability of these frameworks. In particular, 3 is stable to Heating in air up to at least 510 °C, while 1 is stable to heating in air to 430 °C, as well as to treatment with boiling aqueous solutions of pH 2 to 14 for two weeks. Unexpectedly, 2 and 3 are converted into new crystalline metal–organic frameworks upon heating in boiling water. With the combination of stability under extreme conditions, high surface area, and exposed metal sites, it is anticipated that 1 may open the way to testing metal–organic frameworks for catalytic processes that currently employ zeolites

In this communication, a series of observations and data analyses coherently confirms the suitability of the novel metal-organic framework (MOF) [Zn(4)(μ(4)-O)(μ(4)-4-carboxy-3,5-dimethyl-4-carboxy-pyrazolato)(3)] (1) in the capture of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It is worthy of attention that 1, whose crystal structure resembles that of MOF-5, exhibits remarkable thermal, mechanical, and chemical stability, as required if practical applications are sought. In addition, it selectively captures harmful VOCs (including models of Sarin and mustard gas, which are chemical warfare agents), even in competition with ambient moisture (i.e., under conditions mimicking operative ones). The results can be rationalized on the basis of Henry constant and adsorption heat values for the different essayed adsorbates as well as H(2)O/VOC partition coefficients as obtained from variable-temperature reverse gas chromatography experiments. To further strengthen the importance of 1, its performance in the capture of harmful VOCs has been compared with those of well-known materials, namely, a MOF with coordinatively unsaturated metal sites, [Cu(3)(btc)(2)] and the molecular sieve active carbon Carboxen. The results of this comparison show that coordinatively unsaturated metal sites (preferential guest-binding sites) are ineffective for the capture of VOCs in the presence of ambient moisture. Consequently, we propose that the driving force of the VOC-MOF recognition process is mainly dictated by pore size and surface hydrophobicity.

Tunable hydrophobicity: Efficient air filters for the protection against chemical warfare agents might be achieved by surface functionalization of the pores in robust metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with fluoroalkyl residues and the precise control of their pore size (see picture). These MOFs capture harmful volatile organic compounds even under extremely moist conditions (80 % relative humidity).

Highly porous homoleptic Ni(bpb) and Zn(bpb) materials have been obtained by reaction of nickel(II) and zinc(II) salts with the deprotonated form of the 1,4-(4-bispyrazolyl)benzene ligand (H 2 bpb). Ab-initio structure solution methods and thermodiffractometry have allowed the determination of their crystal structures, framework flexibility, and thermal stability. The different stereochemical requirements of the Ni(II) and Zn(II) ions induce, in Ni(bpb) and Zn(bpb), rhombic and square channels, respectively, accounting for 57 and 65% of the total cell volume. The two materials feature high adsorption capacities toward small gaseous molecules (N 2 and Ar at 77 K, CO 2 and CH 4 at 273 K), peaking at 22 mmol g -1 of N 2 in the case of the zinc(II) derivative, which is reflected by a very large surface area (above 2000 m 2 g -1 ). The flexibility, size, and hydrophobic nature of their channels are adequate also for the incorporation of organic vapors. In this regard, the adsorption of benzene and cyclohexane has been studied under static conditions at 303 K, while that of thiophene has been investigated in dynamic conditions, by measurement, at 298 K, of the breakthrough curves of a flow of CH 4 /CO 2 containing 30 ppm of thiophene. Ni(bpb) and Zn(bpb) are outperforming adsorbents, uptaking up to 0.34 g of thiophene per gram of material. The presence of humidity (60%), which is a major drawback for practical applications of MOFs, does not significantly affect the performance of Ni(bpb) in the removal of thiophene, at variance with Zn(bpb) and HKUST-1, Cu 3 (btc) 2 (btc = benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate), which become ineffective in the presence of moisture. Additional XRPD studies have been performed on benzene-loaded Ni(bpb) samples in order to shed some light on the affinity of this material for aromatic guests.

Two isoreticular series of pyrazolate-based 3D open metal-organic frameworks, MBDP_X, adopting the NiBDP and ZnBDP structure types [H(2)BDP = 1,4-bis(1H-pyrazol-4-yl)benzene], were synthesized with the new tagged organic linkers H(2)BDP_X (X = -NO(2), -NH(2), -OH). All of the MBDP_X materials have been characterized through a combination of techniques. IR spectroscopy proved the effective presence of tags, while X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) witnessed their isoreticular nature. Simultaneous TG/DSC analyses (STA) demonstrated their remarkable thermal stability, while variable-temperature XRPD experiments highlighted their high degree of flexibility related to guest-induced fit processes of the solvent molecules included in the channels. A structural isomer of the parent NiBDP was obtained with a sulfonate tagged ligand, H(2)BDP_SO(3)H. Structure solution from powder diffraction data collected at three different temperatures (room temperature, 90, and 250 °C) allowed the determination of its structure and the comprehension of its solvent-related flexible behavior. Finally, the potential application of the tagged MOFs in selective adsorption processes for gas separation and purification purposes was investigated by conventional single component adsorption isotherms, as well as by advanced experiments of pulse gas chromatography and breakthrough curve measurements. Noteworthy, the results show that functionalization does not improve the adsorption selectivity (partition coefficients) for the resolution of gas mixtures characterized by similar high quadrupole moments (e.g., CO(2)/C(2)H(2)); however, the resolution of gas mixtures containing molecules with highly differentiated polarities (i.e., N(2)/CO(2) or CH(4)/CO(2)) is highly improved.

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H2, N2, CO, and CO2 are readily incorporated in the porous, 3D sodalitic frameworks of coordination polymers of the [ML2]n type, with M = Pd(II) or Cu(II) and HL = 2-hydroxypyrimidine or 4-hydroxypyrimidine. The metal ion and ligand functionalization modulate their sorption properties, making these materials suitable for gas storage and separation purposes.

Copper(II) bisimidazolate affords five different polymorphs; of these, one was structurally characterized 40 years ago by standard single-crystal X-ray diffraction (Jarvis, J. A. J.; Wells, A. F. Acta Crystallogr. 1960, 13, 1027), while the remaining four, selectively prepared as pure polycrystalline phases, have been now studied by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) methods. Of the four new (blue, green, olive-green, and pink) phases, three were solved by the ab initio XRPD technique and refined by the Rietveld method, and the fourth phase (pink) could not be structurally characterized. Crystal data for [Cu(imidazolate)(2)](n): blue phase, a = 27.559(3) A, c = 5.3870(9) A, trigonal, R3 macro, Z = 54; green phase, a = 21.139(1) A, b = 19.080(1) A, c = 9.2842(8) A, orthorhombic, Ccca, Z = 20; olive-green phase, a = 11.7556(8) A, b = 23.422(2) A, c = 9.0727(9) A, beta = 104.993(5) degrees, monoclinic, C2/c, Z = 12. All polymorphs contain four-coordinate CuN(4) chromophores and (N,N')-exobidentate imidazolate ligands, but show different spectroscopic and structural properties, the latter ranging from 2D to different 3D networks of the PtS, sodalite, and moganite archetypes. The intermediacy of the [Cu(imidazole)(2)CO(3)]-H(2)O species in the synthesis of the blue polymorph has been confirmed by spectroscopic and thermal analyses. FTIR, Raman, and electronic spectra were correlated with the structural features revealed in the present work, and used to gain insight into the coordination geometry of copper(II) ions of the pink polymorph. In addition, the correct Raman spectrum for copper(II) bisimidazolate, common for all polymorphs, has been definitely determined.