Three new luminescent coordination polymers (CPs), [Ag2(bpp)(Hsba)]·H2O (1), [Cd(bpp)(Hsba)·H2O] (2), and [Pb(bpp)3(H2sba)2] (3) (bpp = 1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)propane, H3sba = 2,4-dichloro-5-sulfamoylbenzoic acid), have been designed and synthesized by hydrothermal methods. Compound 1 exhibits left- and right-handed helical chains. Compound 2 shows a 2-fold parallel interpenetration sql net with 44·62 topology. Compound 3 displays a supramolecular wavelike chain. These three title CPs are used as fluorescence sensors for highly selective and sensitive detection of nitrobenzene in a wide linear detection range.

Due to methanol being a cheap and widely available fuel, much effort has been devoted to the study of platinum-based catalysts for methanol oxidation. In addition to the development of efficient electro-catalysts, another approach to improve fuel cell performance is to develop alternative catalyst supports. Here, we report mesoporous carbon nanoparticles as a catalyst support which could greatly improve the catalytic activity of the catalyst for methanol oxidation, which can not only promote the formation of a larger electrochemically active surface area (801.038 m2 g−1) to afford more active sites for electrochemical reactions, but also facilitate effective electron transfer through the electrode surface. The mesoporous carbon nanoparticles were synthesized through a simple hydrothermal method using glucose as the precursor and modification with ionic liquids. The Pt nanoparticles deposited onto the resulting mesoporous carbon nanoparticles, as the catalyst, exhibited excellent electrochemical activity compared with commercial Pt/C catalyst and Pt nanoparticles.

Three hybrid materials based on Keggin-type polyoxometalates, [CuI3(fsa)4(PMo12O40)] (1), [Ag5(fsa)4H(PMo12O40)2] (2), and [Ag6(fsa)6(PMo12O40)2] (3), (fsa = 1-((bis(4-fluorophenyl)methylsilyl)methyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole), have been hydrothermally synthesized. A series of unique and fascinating metal–organic segments (named MOSs) assembled from MI (CuI/AgI) metals have been observed. Compound 1 contains a kind of trimetal–organic segment [Cu3(fsa)4]3+ (3-MOS), which could be regarded as a quasi-sinusoid-like unit. Compound 2 contains a pentametal–organic segment [Ag5(fsa)4]5+ (5-MOS), which exhibits a saturated sinusoid-like unit compared with 3-MOS. In 3, in addition to a saturated 5-MOS similar to that in 2, a new monometal–organic segment [Ag(fsa)2]+ (1-MOS) was assembled as a result of increasing the molar ratio of Ag/fsa. Evolution of such unique MOSs induces the ascension of dimensionality in a step-by-step manner, from a 1D chain to a 2D layer, and finally a 3D framework for 1, 2 and 3, respectively.

•Controllable assembly of unique metal–organic units•Manipulating metal–organic units to construct expectant architectures•CV behavior of the two title compoundsTwo hybrid materials based on Keggin-type polyoxometalate, [Ag4(mtrz)4(H2O)2(SiW12O40)] (1), [Ag4(mtez)5(SiW12O40)]·H2O (2), (mtrz = 1-methyl-1,2,4-triazole, mtez = 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrazole), have been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. Through the use of the azole ligands mtrz and mtez, compounds 1 and 2 with totally different metal–organic units are obtained. In 1, the mtrz ligands with N atoms in meta-positions induced the formation of chain-like metal–organic units, while in 2, the mtez ligands with adjacent N atoms induced the assembly of tetranuclear units. The SiW12 anions act as bridging linkers to evolve the structural dimensionality of the two title compounds into 2D network and 3D framework, respectively.Coordination site induced different unique metal–organic units.

Four new coordination polymers based on Co2+/Cd2+/Zn2+/Cu2+, Co(bpy)(H2sba)2(H2O)2 (1), Cd(bpy)(Hsba)H2O (2), Zn(bpy)(Hsba) (3), [Cu6(bpy)5(H2ssa)6(H2O)2]·5H2O (4), (bpy = 4,4′-bipyridine, H3sba = 2,4-dichloro-5-sulfamoylbenzoic acid, H4ssa = 4-chloro-5-sulphamoylsalicylic acid) have been successfully synthesized using the mild hydrothermal method with similar reaction conditions. X-ray diffraction analyses reveal that compound 1 exhibits a 1D linear chain formed by the linkage of Co centres and bpy ligands. Compound 2 shows a 2D window-shaped layer with 44·62sql topology. Compound 3 is a 3D framework containing a new topological prototype with a symbol of 65·8. Compound 4 is characteristic of a 3D honeycomb lattice of hexagonal channels which are occupied by H2ssa2− ligands. Left- and right-handed helical chains with equal numbers in the framework are observed, which are constructed by repeating neutral trinuclear units of [Cu3(H2ssa)3]. Worthy to mention here, when Cu2+ ions were introduced into the present reaction system, a new ligand H2ssa2− was obtained in situ by the hydrolysis of chlorine in H3sba, which represents the first example of hydrolysis of chlorine either in coordination polymers and/or in hydrothermal synthesis. Moreover, the luminescent properties for compounds 2 and 3 as well as the H3sba ligand, and the magnetic properties of compound 4 have been investigated in the solid state.

A 3D porous framework [Co3(μ2-OH)4(I)2]·2H2O (I = hypoxanthine) with two types of 1D channels possess excellent catalytic ability for the selective oxidation of cis-cyclooctene.

The first-row transition metals (TMs) are applied to induce the assembly of small molybdenum clusters (SMCs) in the molybdenum/TM/phosphate system, and eight SMC-based compounds are synthesized: [(V2O2)(H2PMo8V4O40)]·2(en)·12H2O (1), [CrMo6O18(OH)6]·1.5(H2en)·5H2O (2), [MnMo12O24(OH)6(HPO4)2(PO4)6]·7(H2en)·6H2O (3), {[Co(H2O)]2[CoMo12O24(OH)6(H2PO4)2(PO4)6]}·4(H2en)·4H2O (4), [Ni5(H2O)22(Mo2O4)8(HPO4)20(PO4)6]·32H2O (5), Cu2(en)4(Mo8O26) (6), [Cu(en)2Mo5O15(HPO4)2]·(H2en)·2H2O (7) and {Zn2[Na(H2O)2][NaMo12O24(OH)6(H2PO4)6(PO4)2]}·5(en)·11H2O (8) (en = ethylenediamine). Six kinds of SMCs as molecular building blocks have been observed within these eight compounds, namely, Mo2V, Mo4, Mo5, Mo61, Mo62 and Mo8. In present reaction system, these TMs not only induce the assembly of SMCs, but also regulate the dimensionality of these compounds, ranging from discrete 0D to infinite 1D, 2D and 3D frameworks. Moreover, the electrochemical properties of compounds 1–8 are also investigated.

Synthesis and tuning the structure of metal–organic nanoclusters in coordination polymer by different charged polyanions ([PMo12O40]3− and [SiMo12O40]4−).

Cu-/Ag-modified polyoxometalates with 5/10/12 connections were obtained via a sulphur-assisted hydrothermal synthetic strategy.

Synthesis and tuning the structure of metal–organic nanoclusters in coordination polymer by different charged polyanions ([PMo12O40]3− and [SiMo12O40]4−).

The first-row transition metals (TMs) are applied to induce the assembly of small molybdenum clusters (SMCs) in the molybdenum/TM/phosphate system, and eight SMC-based compounds are synthesized: [(V2O2)(H2PMo8V4O40)]·2(en)·12H2O (1), [CrMo6O18(OH)6]·1.5(H2en)·5H2O (2), [MnMo12O24(OH)6(HPO4)2(PO4)6]·7(H2en)·6H2O (3), {[Co(H2O)]2[CoMo12O24(OH)6(H2PO4)2(PO4)6]}·4(H2en)·4H2O (4), [Ni5(H2O)22(Mo2O4)8(HPO4)20(PO4)6]·32H2O (5), Cu2(en)4(Mo8O26) (6), [Cu(en)2Mo5O15(HPO4)2]·(H2en)·2H2O (7) and {Zn2[Na(H2O)2][NaMo12O24(OH)6(H2PO4)6(PO4)2]}·5(en)·11H2O (8) (en = ethylenediamine). Six kinds of SMCs as molecular building blocks have been observed within these eight compounds, namely, Mo2V, Mo4, Mo5, Mo61, Mo62 and Mo8. In present reaction system, these TMs not only induce the assembly of SMCs, but also regulate the dimensionality of these compounds, ranging from discrete 0D to infinite 1D, 2D and 3D frameworks. Moreover, the electrochemical properties of compounds 1–8 are also investigated.

A 3D porous framework [Co3(μ2-OH)4(I)2]·2H2O (I = hypoxanthine) with two types of 1D channels possess excellent catalytic ability for the selective oxidation of cis-cyclooctene.