We
report the structures of six anionic, isomorphous metal–organic
frameworks [Ln(bpdc)2
–][NH2(CH3)2
+], where Ln = La, Ce, Nd,
Eu, Gd, Er, and bpdc2– = biphenyl-4,4′-dicarboxylate
= –O2C(C6H4)2CO2
–. The Ln(III) metal centers
exhibit eight-coordinate binding to six different bpdc2– ligands (four of which are μ-2 bridging and two are bidentate)
and the framework is charge-balanced by a dimethylammonium cation.
The materials all possess the same 3D structure and crystallize in
the orthorhombic space group Pbcn. All exhibit thermal
stability up to ca. 300 °C and decompose to
Ln2O3 after 800 °C. The Eu-based structure
exhibits strong fluorescence in the 612–620 nm range. These
materials significantly expand the known chemistry and luminescence
of the less studied f-block metal–organic frameworks.