Hydrothermal synthesis, structure, heterogeneous catalytic activity and photoluminescent properties of a novel homoleptic Sm(III)-organic framework

Abstract

A novel metal-organic framework, (H2pip)n[Sm2(pydc)4(H2O)2]n (1) (H2pydc=2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid, H2pip=piperazine) has been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by the elemental analysis, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectrometer, fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). The structure of 1 was determined to be three-dimensional, linked along Sm-O-Sm chains. The asymmetric unit consisted of one singly anionic fragment consisting of Sm(III) coordinated to two H2pydc ligands and one water, and one half of a protonated H2pip, which sits on an inversion center. 1 exhibited luminescence emission bands at 534nm at room temperature when excited at 440nm. Its thermal behavior and catalytic performance were investigated and the selectivity was measured as 100% for the oxidation of thymol to thymoquinone.