A temperature-dependent, single crystal x-ray diffraction study of the giant magnetocaloric material, Gd5(Si2Ge2), across its Curie temperature (276 K) reveals that the simultaneous orthorhombic to monoclinic transition occurs by a shear mechanism in which the (Si, Ge)-(Si,Ge) dimers that are richer in Ge increase their distances by 0.859(3) A and lead to twinning. The structural transition changes the electronic structure, and provides an atomic-level model for the change in magnetic behavior with temperature in the Gd5(SixGe1-x)(4).

We demonstrate how a single-crystal to single-crystal transformation resulting from bridging-linker replacement is possible in extended 2D and 3D metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) by introducing pillared paddlewheel MOF structures into a solution containing dipyridyl linkers. No lateral movement of the layers was observed during this transformation, creating a templating effect from the "parent" structure to the "daughter" structure. A previously unattainable structure was obtained by a two-step synthetic method utilizing the bridging-linker replacement transformation method. Additionally, a bridging-linker insertion was observed when excess linker was used with the 2D MOF structure, inducing an overall 2D to 3D transformation.

We report three new porphyrin-based, pillared paddle-wheel homologous series: porphyrin paddle-wheel frameworks PPF-3, -4, and -5. These compounds are assembled from free base or palladium tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphine, M(NO(3))(2) (M = Co and Zn), and 4,4'-bipyridine via solvothermal reactions. The resulting solids exhibit 3D metal-organic frameworks, where 2D layers are pillared by bipyridine with three different packing arrangements.

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