Eigen-like hydrated protons traveling with a local distortion through the water nanotube in new molecular porous crystals {[MIII(H2bim)3](TMA)·20H2O}n (M = Co, Rh, Ru)

Abstract

In molecular porous crystals {[M(III)(H(2)bim)(3)](TMA)·20H(2)O}(n) (M = Co, Rh, Ru), the structural property of confined water network and the dynamics of mobile hydrated protons have been examined by the measurement of infrared spectrum and microwave conductivity. The water network undergoes first order phase transition from the ice nanotube (INT) to the water nanotube (WNT) around 200 K, while the infrared spectral features for these states are almost equivalent. Consequently, the water molecules in WNT dynamically fluctuate in the vicinity of the regulated position in INT with maintaining the O-O distance. The additional band observed around 2200 cm(-1) reveals the emergence of an Eigen-like protonic hydrate, around which the O-O distance locally shrinks to ~2.56 Å. The microwave conductivity exhibiting activation-type behavior, isotope effect and anisotropy indicates that the water nanotube is a quasi one-dimensional high proton conductor. Together with the neutron experimental results, we have clarified that the proton and protonic hole are generated by the self-dissociation in some water molecules just hydrated to the carboxylate oxygen atom of trimesic acid. The Eigen-like hydrated proton and protonic hole contribute to the intrinsic proton conduction accompanying local distortions. The carrier density dominated by the intrinsic ionic equilibrium is not large, whereas the actual mobility, which is higher than 1 × 10(-2) (cm(2)/Vs), yields the present high proton conductivity.