Six metal–organic architectures from a 5-methoxyisophthalate linker: assembly, structural variety and catalytic features

Abstract

A methoxy-functionalized isophthalic acid, 5-methoxy isophthalic acid (H₂mia), was used a versatile linker for assembling six new metal(II) compounds under hydrothermal conditions. The obtained products were [Cu₂(μ₂-mia)₂(phen)₂(H₂O)₂]·2H₂O (1), [Mn(μ₃-mia)(phen)]_n (2), [Co(μ₂-mia)(2,2′-bipy)(H₂O)]_n·nH₂O (3), [Co(μ₃-mia)(μ₂-4,4′-bipy)]_n·nH₂O (4), [Co(μ₃-mia)(py)₂]_n (5), and [Cd(μ₂-mia)(py)(H₂O)₂]_n·nH₂O (6), where phen(1,10-phenanthroline), 2,2′-bipy(2,2′-bipyridine), 4,4′-bipy(4,4′-bipyridine) or py(pyridine) were incorporated as auxiliary ligands. The crystal structures of 1–6 range from 0D (1) and 1D (2, 3, 5, 6) CPs to a 2D network (4) with a variety of topological types. The catalytic behavior of 1–6 was studied in the cyanosilylation reaction between trimethylsilyl cyanide and aldehydes, resulting in up to 99% yields of products under optimized conditions. Various reaction parameters as well as catalyst recycling and substrate scope were investigated. This study widens the use of H₂mia as a versatile dicarboxylate linker for assembling a diversity of functional metal–organic architectures with remarkable structural features and catalytic properties.