Beneficial Use of MIBC in Metakaolin-Based Geopolymers to Improve Flowability and Compressive Strength.

Superplasticizers (cement concrete water reducers) are applied to improve the flowability of calcium-rich, alkali-activated materials, with inconsistent results. However, superplasticizer applications are limited in metakaolin-based geopolymers. The possibility of using polycarboxylate superplasticizers and methyl isobutyl carbinol (MIBC) to ameliorate the flowability of metakaolin-based geopolymers was investigated. The ratio of metakaolin, fumed silica, NaOH or KOH, and water in geopolymers at a Na2O or K2O:Al2O3:SiO2:H2O ratio = 1:1:4:10 or 1:1:4:11 was maintained in the formulations. In this study, ether- or ester-based polycarboxylate superplasticizers did not improve the workability of fresh metakaolin-based Na-geopolymers. A low MIBC dose (0.5 wt.% of metakaolin) improved the flowability by 19% and additionally increased the 7-day compressive strength by 22% from 68 to 83 MPa for plain Na-geopolymers. The entrained fine froths produced by adding MIBC during mixing likely reduced friction between metakaolin particles, and the slurry became more workable. Hence, the geopolymer mixture with an improved flowability became more homogenous, which ensured more extensive metakaolin dissolution and hydrolysis. A low MIBC dose could be effective for Na-geopolymers with dual benefits of improved workability and enhanced compressive strength.

Crystal structure of a zigzag CoII coordination polymer: catena-poly[[di-chlorido-bis-(methanol-κO)cobalt(II)]-µ-bis-(pyridin-3-ylmeth-yl)sulfane-κ2N:N'].

Reaction of bis-(pyridin-3-ylmeth-yl)sulfane (L) with cobalt(II) chloride in methanol led to the formation of the title coordination polymer, [CoCl2(C12H12N2S)(CH3OH)2] n , in which the CoII cation lies on a crystallographic inversion centre and the S atom of the L ligand lies on a twofold rotation axis. Each CoII ion is coordinated by two pyridine N atoms from two bridging L ligands, two O atoms from methanol mol-ecules and two chloride anions, all inversion-related. The complex unit has an elongated octa-hedral geometry, in which N2O2 donor atoms occupy the equatorial positions and two chloride anions occupy the axial positions. Each L ligand links two CoII ions, forming an infinite zigzag chain propagating along the c-axis direction and further stabilized by O-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds between the methanol mol-ecules and the chloride anions. Adjacent chains in the structure are connected by inter-molecular C-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds, resulting in the formation of a three-dimensional supra-molecular architecture.

Crystal structure of a looped-chain CoII coordination polymer: catena-poly[[bis-(nitrato-κO)cobalt(II)]bis-[µ-bis-(pyridin-3-ylmeth-yl)sulfane-κ2N:N']].

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Co(NO3)2(C12H12N2S)2] n , contains a bis-(pyridin-3-ylmeth-yl)sulfane (L) ligand, an NO3- anion and half a CoII cation, which lies on an inversion centre. The CoII cation is six-coordinated, being bound to four pyridine N atoms from four symmetry-related L ligands. The remaining coordination sites are occupied by two O atoms from two symmetry-related nitrate anions in a monodentate manner. Thus, the CoII centre adopts a distorted octa-hedral geometry. Two symmetry-related L ligands are connected by two symmetry-related CoII cations, forming a 20-membered cyclic dimer, in which the CoII atoms are separated by 10.2922 (7) Å. The cyclic dimers are connected to each other by sharing CoII atoms, giving rise to the formation of an infinite looped chain propagating along the [101] direction. Inter-molecular C-H⋯π (H⋯ring centroid = 2.89 Å) inter-actions between one pair of corresponding L ligands and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the L ligands and the nitrate anions occur in the looped chain. In the crystal, adjacent looped chains are connected by inter-molecular π-π stacking inter-actions [centroid-to-centroid distance = 3.8859 (14) Å] and C-H⋯π hydrogen bonds (H⋯ring centroid = 2.65 Å), leading to the formation of layers parallel to (101). These layers are further connected through C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the layers, resulting in the formation of a three-dimensional supra-molecular architecture.

Soft secondary building unit: dynamic bond rearrangement on multinuclear core of porous coordination polymers in gas media.

A new synthetic approach to prepare flexible porous coordination polymers (PCPs) by the use of soft secondary building units (SBUs) which can undergo multiple reversible metal-ligand bonds breaking is reported. We have prepared a zinc paddle-wheel-based two-fold interpenetrated PCP, {[Zn(2)(tp)(2)(L(2))]·2.5DMF·0.5water}(n) (2a, H(2)tp = terephthanlic acid; L(2) = 2,3-difluoro-1,4-bis(4-pyridyl)benzene), showing dynamic structural transformations upon the removal and rebinding of guest molecules. The X-ray structures at different degrees of desolvation indicate the highly flexible nature of the framework. The framework deformations involve slippage of the layers and movement of the two interpenetrated frameworks with respect to each other. Interestingly, the coordination geometry of a zinc paddle-wheel unit (one of the popular SBUs) is considerably changed by bond breaking between zinc and oxygen atoms during the drying process. Two zinc atoms in the dried form 2d reside in a distorted tetrahedral geometry. Compound 2d has no void volume and favors the uptake of O(2) over Ar and N(2) at 77 K. The O(2) and Ar adsorption isotherms of 2d show gate-opening-type adsorption behaviors corroborating the structure determination. The CO(2) adsorption isotherm at 195 K exhibits multiple steps originating from the flexibility of the framework. The structural transformations of the zinc clusters in the framework upon sorption of guest molecules are also characterized by Raman spectroscopy in which the characteristic bands corresponding to ν(sym)(COO(-)) vibration were used.

Chemistry of porous coordination polymers having multimodal nanospace and their multimodal functionality.

Remarkable advances in the recent development of porous coordination polymers (PCPs) or metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have paved the way toward functional chemistry having potential application such as molecular storage, separation, and catalysis. Moreover flexible PCPs, which are structurally transformable depending upon guest molecules adsorption/desorption, have received much attention because they provide unique properties, dissimilar to those of zeolites. PCPs can be categorized into structurally monomodal and multimodal classes. Monomodal PCPs possess single uniform pores in the framework. In contrast, multimodal PCPs have more than two types of pores in the framework. Interpenetrated PCPs can possess more than two types of pores with different sizes and shapes in the same framework depending on relative position of individual motifs, resulting in multimodal PCPs. Moreover, interpenetrated PCPs have several advantages, such as high thermal stability, flexibility, and ultramicropore for effective adsorption. In this review, chemistry of PCPs based on monomodal and multimodal PCPs are summarized and discussed.

Donor-set-induced coordination sphere and oxidation-state switching in the copper complexes of O2S2X (X = S, O and NH) macrocycles.

Reaction of the O(2)S(2)X-macrocycles (L(1), X = S; L(2), X = NH; and L(3), X = O) with Cu(ClO(4))(2) x 6 H(2)O affords 1:1 (M/L) square-pyramidal Cu(II) complexes when X = S and NH but yields a rare 1:2 sandwich-type tetrahedral Cu(I) complex when X = O; the X-ray structures of all three complexes are reported. Substitution of O for S or NH in the ligand structure thus results in a donor-set-induced II/I oxidation state change of the copper, and this is accompanied by a square-pyramidal to tetrahedral topological change in the solid state. Spectrophotometric titration data (including Job plots) indicate that similar behavior occurs in acetonitrile. In further experiments aimed at investigating the generality of the above redox behavior, it was shown that the 16- and 18-membered analogs of the 17-membered L(3) also induce a similar II/I redox change in acetonitrile. It was demonstrated for L(3) that the above-induced Cu(II/I) change is also maintained when the reaction solvent is changed from acetonitrile to methanol or ethanol.

A pillared-layer coordination polymer with a rotatable pillar acting as a molecular gate for guest molecules.

The design of pore properties utilizing flexible motifs and functional groups is of importance to obtain porous coordination polymers with desirable functions. We have prepared a 3D pillared-layer coordination polymer, {[Cd(2)(pzdc)(2)L(H(2)O)(2)].5(H(2)O).(CH(3)CH(2)OH)}(n) (1, H(2)pzdc = 2,3-pyrazinedicarboxylic acid; L = 2,5-bis(2-hydroxyethoxy)-1,4-bis(4-pyridyl)benzene) showing (i) a rotatable pillar bearing ethylene glycol side chains acting as a molecular gate with locking/unlocking interactions triggered by guest inclusion between the side chains, (ii) framework flexibility with slippage of the layers, and (iii) coordinatively unsaturated metal centers as guest accessible sites through the removal of the water coligands. The framework clearly shows reversible single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformations in response to the removal and rebinding of guest molecules, the observation of these processes has provided fundamental clues to the understanding of the sorption profiles. The X-ray structures indicate that the 3D host framework is retained during the transformations, involving mainly rotation of the pillars and slippage of the layers. The structure of dried form 2, [Cd(2)(pzdc)(2)L](n), has no void volume and no water coligands. Interestingly, the adsorption isotherm of water for 2 at 298 K exhibits three distinct steps coinciding with the framework functions. Compound 2 favors the uptake of CO(2) (195 K) over N(2) (77 K) and O(2) (77 K). Above all, we report on a molecular gate with a rotational module exhibiting a locking/unlocking system which accounts for gate-opening type sorption profiles.

Copper(II) interaction with mono-, bis- and tris-ring N3O2 macrocycles: synthetic, X-ray, competitive membrane transport, and hypochromic shift studies.

New N-phenyl (L(1)), azo-coupled (L(2)), and tri-linked (L(3)) substituted derivatives of a parent dibenzo-N(3)O(2) macrocycle, 1,12,15-triaza-3,4:9,10-dibenzo-5,8-dioxacycloheptadecane (L(4)), have been synthesized. Competitive seven-metal transport studies across a bulk chloroform membrane employing an aqueous source phase containing equal molar concentrations of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Ag(I), and Pb(II) as their nitrate salts have been performed using both L(1) and L(3) as the ionophore, with the results discussed in terms of those obtained previously for related mono-ring (L(5)) and di-linked (L(6)) macrocyclic systems. Sole transport selectivity for Cu(II) was observed in each case. On a per macrocyclic cavity basis the tri-linked analogue L(3) gave less efficient Cu(II) transport than its monomeric or di-linked analogues. At least in part, this may reflect the tendency of tri-linked derivative L(3) to form a 2:1 complex (metal/ligand) with Cu(II) under the conditions employed; such a stoichiometry was demonstrated to occur in acetonitrile using both spectrophotometric titration and Job plot procedures. The azo-coupled derivative (L(2)) yields a red solution (lambda(max) = 495 nm, epsilon(max) = 23000 M(-1) cm(-1)) and undergoes significant hypochromic metal-induced shifts (Delta lambda(max) = 54-174 nm) on metal addition. Cu(II) induces the largest shift (Delta lambda(max) = 174 nm), corresponding to a color change from red to pale-yellow. The X-ray structures of red L(2) x HNO(3) together with its Cu(II) complexes, [Cu(L(2))NO(3)]NO(3) x CH(2)Cl(2) (6) (pale-yellow) and [{Cu(L(2))}(2)(mu-OH)(2)](ClO(4))(2) x 2 CH(2)Cl(2) x 2 H(2)O (7) (dark-red), are reported. The structural determinations have allowed insight into the structure-function relationships governing the observed color variation between these species.

Supramolecular copper(I) halide complexes of O2S2X (X = S, O and NH) macrocycles exhibiting dinuclear, 1D- and 2D-coordination polymeric structures.

The effect of varying donor X in otherwise structurally similar O(2)S(2)X-macrocycles (L(1): X = S, L(2): X = O and L(3): X = NH) on the corresponding assembly reactions with Cu(I) halides has been demonstrated to yield three supramolecular complexes with different architectures: L(1) resulted in a discrete dimeric complex (1), while L(2) and L(3) gave respectively 1D (2) and 2D (3) coordination polymers; the solid state photoluminescence of 3 is also described.

Calix[4]bis(thiacrown): assembly of an endocyclic disilver(I) complex and exocyclic 3D copper(I) coordination polymers.

Calix[4]bis(thiacrown-5) (L) with 1,3-alternating conformation was employed as a strong dinucleating ligand for the soft metal ions AgI and CuI. The reaction of L with AgPF6 afforded a discrete endo-coordinated disilver(I) complex 1, [Ag2L](PF6)2. In contrast, mixed products (2a + 2b) consisting of 3D networks were obtained from the reaction of L and CuI; 2b linked with a Cu4I4 cubane unit was shown to generate photoluminescence, while 2a linked with a Cu2I2 rhomboid unit does not.

Calix[4]thiacrowns as ditopic hosts for homo- and heterobinuclear accommodation: first report of a chopsticks-type pi-coordination.

[reaction: see text] Calix[4]thiacrowns with hetero-L(1) and a homodonor set (L(2)) were synthesized and characterized by X-ray analysis. From the reaction of L(2) with AgPF(6), disilver complex [Ag(2)(L(2))](PF(6))(2) (1) was isolated. By comparing 1,3-alternate conformations of L(2) and 1, we found a considerable decrease of dihedral angles of two opposite aromatic rings upon complexation. This finding can be explained in terms of the "chopsticks process", which illustrates how Ag(+)-arene pi-coordination occurs. Heterobinuclear complexation of L(1) in solution was also observed.

Tandem Diels-Alder cycloadditions of 2-pyrone-5-acrylates for the efficient synthesis of novel tetracyclolactones.

Readily prepared from the regioselective Pd-catalyzed coupling reactions of 3,5-dibromo-2-pyrone, 3-bromo-2-pyrone-5-carboxylates undergo tandem uninterrupted sequential Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions with allyl vinyl ethers in a highly regio- and stereoselective fashion to provide a series of novel tetracyclolactones in good yields.

Synthesis of diazahexathia-24-crown-8 derivatives and structures of Ag+ complexes.

Diazahexathia-24-crown-8 (2) has been isolated from the reaction mixture during the preparation of monoazatrithia-12-crown-4 (1). When N-Boc protected bis(2-chloroethyl)amine was employed as a starting material, N-Boc protected monoazatrithia-12-crown-4 (3) and N-Boc protected diazahexathia-24-crown-4 (4) were separated easily. Double-armed diazahexathia-24-crown-8 having two 3',5'-dichlorobenzyl groups (5a) or two 2-phenylethyl groups (5b) were also prepared using reductive amination. The stoichiometry and detailed structures of the Ag+ complexes with and were investigated by 1H NMR titration experiments and X-ray crystallography.

Assembly of a heterobinuclear 2-D network: a rare example of endo- and exocyclic coordination of Pd(II)/Ag(I) in a single macrocycle.

The S3O2 macrocycle L1 was synthesized by a dithiol-dihalide coupling reaction under high-dilution conditions. The reaction of L1 with K2PdCl4 afforded an exocoordinated complex 1, [cis-Cl2Pd(L1)], which can then be manipulated to provide a heterobinuclear complex 3, {[Pd(L1)Ag(NO3)(2.5)](NO3)(0.5)}n, utilizing endocyclic Pd(II) and exocyclic Ag(I) in a single macrocycle through a successive reaction with AgNO3. The network of 3 contains a unique honeycomb-like 2-D sheet made up of the repeating unit [Ag6(NO3)6].

A chromogenic macrocycle exhibiting cation-selective and anion-controlled color change: an approach to understanding structure-color relationships.

[reaction: see text] A N-azo-coupled macrocycle (1) with a NO(2)S(2) donor set was synthesized as a chromoionophore and shown to exhibit Hg(2+) selectivity; anion control of the color of the Hg(2+) complex was observed. As a first approach, the nature of the color generation process was probed by determining the crystal structures of the two different colored species obtained with perchlorate and iodide anions. The results can be explained in terms of a "Push-n-Pull Process", which serves to illustrate how the coordinating ability of the anion controls the color change through formation of endo- or exo-metal complexes. The use of "simple" salts to induce color-switching of the above complex species was also reported.

Exo-coordination-based supramolecular silver(I) complexes of S2O macrocycles: effect of ligand isomerism on the structural diversity.

An isomeric series of S2O macrocycles incorporating a xylyl group at the ortho (L1), meta (L2), and para (L3) positions were employed to examine the influence of the ring rigidity on silver(I) coordination modes in resulting supramolecular complexes (1-3); L1 and L3 afforded sandwich (1; Ag:L1 = 1:2) and infinite 1-D (3) complexes, respectively; otherwise, L2 gave the 1-D polymer (2a), 2:3 club sandwich (2b), and unique 2:4 bridged dinuclear complex (2c) complexes, in which their topologies vary with the solvent used.

Donor effect on supramolecular structures of silver(I) perchlorate complexes of macrocycles with O2S2X (X=S, O and NH) donor sets.

By virtue of simple one donor variations of O(2)S(2)X-donor macrocycles (L(1): X=S, L(2): X=O and L(3): X=NH) towards silver(I) perchlorates, four supramolecular complexes (1-3) with different topologies have been isolated; L(1) afforded solvent- and anion-free sandwich complex (1), otherwise L(2) and L(3) gave the dimeric (2a), 1-D polymeric (2b), and tetrameric bowl-type (3) complexes with solvent or anion coordination.

Cadmium(II) and mercury(II) complexes of an NO2S2-donor macrocycle and its ditopic xylyl-bridged analogue.

The NO2S2-donor macrocycle (L1) was synthesised from the ring closure reaction between Boc-N-protected 2,2'-iminobis(ethanethiol) (3) and 2,2'-(ethylenedioxy)bis(benzyl chloride) (4) followed by deprotection of the Boc-group. alpha,alpha'-Dibromo-p-xylene was employed as a dialkylating agent to bridge two L1 to yield the corresponding N-linked product (L2). The X-ray structure of L2 (as its HBr salt) is described. A range of Cd(II) and Hg(II) complexes of L1 (6-9) and L2 (10-12) were prepared and characterised. Reaction of HgX2 (X = Br or I) with L1 afforded [Hg(L1)Br]2[Hg2Br6].2CH2Cl2 6 and [Hg(L1)I(2)] 7, respectively. For 6, the Hg(II) ion in the complex cation has a distorted tetrahedral coordination environment composed of S2N donor atoms from L1 and a bromo ligand. In 7 the coordination geometry is highly distorted tetrahedral, with the macrocycle coordinating in an exodentate manner via one S and one N atom. The remaining two coordination sites are occupied by iodide ions. [Hg(L1)(ClO4)]ClO4 8 was isolated from the reaction of Hg(ClO4)2 and L1. The X-ray structure reveals that all macrocyclic ring donors bind to the central mercury ion in this case, with the latter exhibiting a highly distorted octahedral coordination geometry. The O2S2-donors from the macrocyclic ring define the equatorial plane while the axial positions are occupied by the ring nitrogen as well as by an oxygen from a monodentate perchlorato ion. Reaction of Cd(NO3)(2).4H2O with L1 afforded [Cd(L1)(NO3)2](.)0.5CH2Cl2 9 in which L1 acts as a tridentate ligand, binding exo-fashion via its S2N donors. The remaining coordination positions are filled by two bidentate nitrate ions such that, overall, the cadmium is seven-coordinate. Reactions of HgX2(X = Br or I) with L2 yielded the isostructural 2 : 1 (metal : ligand) complexes, [Hg2(L2)Br4] 10 and [Hg2(L2)I(4)] 11. Each mercury ion has a distorted tetrahedral environment made up of S and N donors from an exodentate L2 and two coordinated halides. Contrasting with this, the reaction of L2 with Cd(NO3)(2).4H2O yielded a 1-D coordination network, {[Cd2(L2)(NO3)4].2CH2Cl2}n 12 in which each ring of L2 is exo-coordinated via two S atoms and one N atom to a cadmium ion which is also bound to one monodentate and one bidentate nitrate anion. The latter also has one of its oxygen atom attached to a neighboring cadmium via a nitroso (mu2-O) bridge such that the overall coordination geometry about each cadmium is seven-coordinate. The [Cd(L2)0.5(NO3)2] units are linked by an inversion to yield the polymeric arrangement.

Metal ion recognition via 'selective detuning'. The interaction of selected transition and post-transition metal ions with a mono-N-benzylated O2N3-donor macrocycle and its xylyl-bridged ring analogue.

The interaction of cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II), cadmium(II), silver(I) and lead(II) with symmetrical mono-N-benzylated and xylyl-linked macrocyclic ligands derived from the O2N3-macrocycle, 1,12,15-triaza-3,4:9,10-dibenzo-5,8-dioxacycloheptadecane, has been investigated. The log K values for the respective 1 : 1 complexes in 95% methanol (I= 0.1; Et4NClO4, 25 degrees C) of the mono-benzylated derivative have been determined potentiometrically and the results compared with the values obtained previously for the parent (non-benzylated) ring system as well as for related di- and tri-benzylated macrocyclic species. Mono-benzylation results in slightly enhanced stability for the 1 : 1 silver(I) complex while the values for the corresponding complexes of the other six ions are in each case decreased even though the highest stability is still maintained for the 1 : 1 copper(II) complex. The log K results are in accord with a previous proposal that N-benzylation of amine-containing macrocyclic rings of the present type will normally have only a minor (positive or negative) influence on the affinity towards silver(I) while the corresponding binding strengths towards the remaining six metal ions are significantly reduced-behaviour we term 'selective detuning'. Competitive seven-metal transport experiments across a bulk chloroform membrane have been performed using both ligand systems as ionophores. In parallel to the log K results, transport selectivity for copper(II) was exhibited by both systems, with similar transport efficiencies being evident when compared on a 'per macrocyclic cavity' basis.