Smoothing the single-crystal to single-crystal conversions of a two-dimensional metal-organic framework via the hetero-metal doping of the linear trimetallic secondary building unit.

The two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic framework (MOF) [Cd2.25Co0.75(BTB)2(DEF)4]·2(DEF)0.5 (1a, BTB = benzene-1,3,5-tribenzolate; DEF = N,N'-diethylformamide) featuring linear trimetallic cluster secondary building units (SBUs) and replaceable DEF solvates reacts smoothly with dipyridyl ligands DPS, DPDS, and BIPY (DPS = 4,4'-dipyridyl sulfide; DPDS = 4,4'-dipyridyl disulfide; BIPY = 4,4'-bipyridine), yielding three-dimensional (3D) non-interpenetrated [Cd2.25Co0.75(BTB)2(DPS)2]·xSol (2) and [Cd2.25Co0.75(BTB)2(DPDS)2]·xSol (3), and interpenetrated [Cd2.25Co0.75(BTB)2(BIPY)(H2O)2]·xSol (4). The smooth conversion of 1a to 3 contrasts the drastic single-crystal to single-crystal (SCSC) conversion observed for the homometallic [Cd3(BTB)2(DEF)4]·2(DEF)0.5 (1b), presumably due to the presence of the relatively Lewis acidic Co2+ that lessens the propensity for binding by soft dipyridyl donors. Activated samples of 2-4 showed no obvious absorption of N2 at 77 K, but reversible type I uptake of CO2 at 195 K.