Physical stabilityversuschemical lability in microporous metal coordination polymers: case of [Cu(OH)(INA)] and [Cu(INA)2]

A critical feature in the crystal engineering of microporous metal coordination polymer zeotypes is the stability of the open frameworks. Two microporous copper isonicotinate polymers [Cu(OH)(INA)] (left) and [Cu(INA)2] (right) have been formed hydrothermally in good yield and purity. Each has 1-D channels of ca. 4 x 6 dimension, but with quite different hydrophilicities. The frameworks retain structural integrity to 225C and 250C respectively, however whilst [Cu(OH)(INA)] is also chemically stable, the [Cu(INA)2] is highly labile and readily transforms to the molecular complex [Cu(INA)2(H2O)4] in water at room temperature. We are grateful to the RGC (grant HKUST 6128/01P) for financial support of this work.