Bis(2,2′-bipyridine)-bis(μ<inf>3</inf>-phthalato)-dicopper(II) tetrahydrate as molecular sieve with zero-dimensional structure

Abstract

Crystal structure of the title compound: [Cu2(bipy) 2(pht)2]·4H2O (bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine, pht = dianion of phthalic acid), CuBP·4H 2O, consists of dinuclear entities, which are further connected by π-π stacking interactions between bipy ligands. In this way small channels (micropores) oriented parallel to the [0 0 1] direction and containing loosely hydrogen bonded water molecules are formed. The structural changes during dehydration-rehydration have been thoroughly investigated using TG/DSC analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, optical and scanning electron microscopy, and sorption experiments. In addition, dehydration process was analyzed from the aspect of kinetics. A complete reversibility of the dehydration-rehydration CuBP·4H2O(s) CuBP(s) + 4H 2O(g) process was confirmed by all means. Therefore, CuBP·4H2O can be classified as molecular sieve with quite unexpected zero-dimensional structure. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.