In situ formation of an unprecedented 3D microporous CuCN coordination polymer based on a semirigid tetrahedral linker

An unprecedented three-dimensional (3D) coordination polymer [Cu4(CN)4(tpom)]n (tpom = tetrakis(4-pyridyloxymethylene)methane) (1) was solvothermally prepared and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR, TGA, adsorption and photoluminescent studies. Compound 1 is constructed from a 1D CuCN chain and a tetrahedral ligand tpom, in which the CN ligand was in situ generated by the C―C bond cleavage of acetonitrile molecule under solvothermal conditions. Compound 1 possesses a three-fold interpenetrating framework with ths-z type of rod packing topology. It exhibits relatively high thermal stability up to 330 °C and weak photoluminescent emissions at room temperature. The gas absorption studies revealed that 1 can selectively adsorb 0.8 wt% H2 at 77 K and 1 atmospheric pressure.