Pore design of two-dimensional coordination polymers toward selective adsorption.

We have synthesized four porous coordination polymers (PCPs) using Zn(2+), 4,4'-sulfonyldibenzoate (sdb), and four types of dinitrogen linker ligands, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane (dabco), 1,4-bis(4-pyridyl)benzene (bpb), 3,6-bis(4-pyridyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine (bpt), and 4,4'-bipyridyl (bpy). The bent sdb ligands form a rhombic space connected by zinc paddle-wheel units to form a one-dimensional double chain, and each dinitrogen ligand linked the one-dimensional double chains. There are different assembled structures of two-dimensional sheets with the same connectivities between Zn(2+) and the organic ligands. [Zn2(sdb)2(dabco)]n (1) has a noninterpenetrated and noninterdigitated structure, [Zn2(sdb)2(bpb)]n (2) and [Zn2(sdb)2(bpt)]n (3) have interdigitated structures, and [Zn2(sdb)2(bpy)]n (4) has an interpenetrated structure. The length of the dinitrogen ligands dominated their assembled structures and flexibility, which influence the adsorption properties. The flexible frameworks of 2 and 3 provide different stepwise adsorption behaviors for CO2, CH4, C2H6, and C2H4 affected by their pore diameters and the properties of the gases. Their different adsorption properties were revealed by IR spectroscopy and X-ray analysis under a gas atmosphere. The framework of 4 possesses less flexibility and a smaller void space than the others and a negligible amount of CH4 was adsorbed; however, 4 can adsorb either C2H6 or C2H4 through the gate-opening phenomenon. Measurement of the solid-state (2)H NMR was also carried out to investigate the relationship between the framework structure and the dynamics of bpy with regard to the lower flexibility of 4. We have demonstrated a strategy to control the pore size and assembled structures toward selective adsorption properties of PCPs.