A quantitative transmetalation with a metal organic framework compound in a solid–liquid interface reaction: synthesis, structure, kinetics, spectroscopy and electrochemistry

Abstract

When the single crystals of compound {Zn₂(oba)₂(1,4-bpeb)₂}_n·nH₂O (1), a zinc-based metal organic framework (MOF) compound, are suspended in a DMF solution of copper(II) nitrate, quantitative metal exchange occurs under ambient conditions without dissolution of crystals resulting in an isomorphous compound {Cu₂(oba)₂(1,4-bpeb)₂}_n·nH₂O (2). An attempt to obtain compound 2 in a direct method, used for the preparation of compound 1, results in a copper paddle wheel associated coordination polymer compound {Cu(oba)(1,4-bpeb)_0.5}_n (3). This transmetalation reaction is thus a unique one, because the functional material 2 can only be obtained by this metal metathesis in a solid–liquid interface reaction.