Two new 3D metal–organic frameworks of nanoscale cages constructed by Cd(ii) and conformationally-flexible cyclohexanehexacarboxylate

Abstract

Hydrothermal reactions of Cd(NO₃)₂·4H₂O with a,e,a,e,a,e-1,2,3,4,5,6-cyclohexanehexacarboxylic acid (H₆L^I) generate two new 3D MOFs with nanoscale cages, in which the L^I ligand in the first MOF transforms its conformation to the e,e,e,e,e,e form while the L^I ligand in the second MOF transforms its conformation to mixed e,e,e,e,e,e and e,e,e,e,a,a forms in a 1 : 3 ratio, showing the effect of the auxiliary sodium ion on stabilizing the intermediate conformations and on the construction of the heterometallic MOF strucutre.