The diversity of five metal–organic complexes based on an unsymmetrical biphenyl tetracarboxylate: Synthesis, structures, magnetism and luminescence

Abstract

Careful investigation of the effects of metal ions and pH value resulted in five multi-dimensional metal−organic complexes, [Co5(μ3-OH)2(α-bptc)2(H2O)6]n (1), {(H3O)2[Co4(μ3-O)(α-bptc)2(H2O)]·4H2O}n (2), {K2[Zn4(μ3-OH)2(α-bptc)2(H2O)3]}n (3), [Zn4(α-bptc)2(H2O)3]n (4), and {[Cd4(α-bptc)2(H2O)7]·2H2O}n (5) (α-H4bptc = 2,3,3',4'-biphenyl tetracarboxylic acid). The complexes consisted of different highly connected secondary building units (SBUs) assembled via hydrothermal in situ routes. The pH value as well as the kinds of metal ions influenced the coordination modes of α-H4bptc and also introduced the hydroxyl ligand at high pH value, resulting in the diversity of SBUs and dimensionality. Variable temperature magnetic measurements indicated the antiferromagnetic behavior in the Co5 core in 1, and the intra-chain ferrimagnetic behavior in complex 2. Moreover, the luminescent properties of the complexes 3−5 indicated the existence of intra-ligand charge transfer.