Two enantiopure organic linkers ((R)-H3CIA and (S)-H3CIA) derived from lactic acid have been synthesized and used to construct four pairs of homochiral metal–organic frameworks (HMOFs) with polymetallic building blocks. Crystallographic analysis indicates that H3CIA ligands can connect tetranuclear zinc units into kgd type layered structure, while the introduction of nitrogen heterocycle auxiliary ligands into this system gives rise to the formation of three-dimensional homochiral MOFs with different structural topologies. Physical characteristics of these complexes are also carried out, including thermal stabilities, solid-state circular dichroism (CD), and photoluminescent properties. Our results highlight the effective method to apply inexpensive and nontoxic chiral ligands to prepare interesting HMOFs.

Eight new supramolecular crystals of 1,4-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)benzene (DIB) have been prepared using water, 4,4′-biphenol, terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, succinic acid, and 1,2,4,5-tetrafluoro-3,6-diiodobenzene. These materials were subsequently characterized by single crystal X-ray analysis. The results revealed that one-dimensional infinite chains were formed in these crystals through hydrogen bonding or halogen bonding interactions. The hydrogen atoms of the imidazole ring in DIB were found to be involved in three kinds of hydrogen-bonding ring motifs. These motifs could play an important role in the stabilization of the crystals and could therefore be beneficial to DIB in terms of its role as a good building block for supramolecular crystals.