Design of Frameworks with Mixed Triangular and Octahedral Building Blocks Exemplified by the Structure of [Zn4O(TCA)2] Having the Pyrite Topology

Building blocks, octahedral (basic zinc acetate units) and triangular (tritopic carboxylic acid), are assembled into a metal-organic framework (MOF-150) having the topology of the FeS2 pyrite net (see picture). Two independent nets interpenetrate, forming the first example of a fully catenated structure with mixed coordination, an occurrence that is ascribed to the self-dual property of the pyrite net (TCA=4,4′,4′′-Tricarboxytriphenylamine).