Tetrakis(4-sulfophenyl)methane dodecahydrate. Reversible and selective water inclusion and release in an organic host

Abstract

Infinite water helices and discrete H₂O–H₂O–SO₃H hydrogen bond aggregates occupy 19% unit cell volume in different channels of the title host tecton. The cooperative nature of H₂O–SO₃H H bonds and inter-connected channels correlate with higher T_onset of O4 and O5 water molecules at 149 °C compared to release of O6 H-bonded water helix from parallel channels at 114 °C. The zeolite-like organic host shows reversible water uptake and dehydration in successive heat–cool–heat cycles.