Lanthanide germanate cluster organic frameworks constructed from {Ln(8)Ge(12)} or {Ln(11)Ge(12)} cage cluster building blocks.

Through the use of bis(carboxyethylgermanium) sesquioxide as the germanium source, lanthanide has been successfully introduced into germanate systems under hydrothermal conditions, resulting in a novel lanthanide germanate cluster organic framework with twofold-interpenetrating nets built from Nd(8)Ge(12) cluster units. To avoid the interpenetration, a second ligand, 2-picolinic acid, was introduced into the above system, resulting in the formation of a series of noninterpenetrating networks constructed from Ln(11)Ge(12) cluster units, as expected.