Anion-directed synthesis of metal-organic frameworks based on 2-picolinate CuII complexes: a ferromagnetic alternating chain and two unprecedented ferromagnetic fish backbone chains

Three new polynuclear copperII complexes of 2-picolinic acid (Hpic), {[Cu2(pic)3(H2O)]ClO4}n (1), {[Cu2(pic)3(H2O)]BF4}n (2), and [Cu2(pic)3(H2O)2(NO3)]n (3), have been synthesized by reaction of the "metalloligand" [Cu(pic)2] with the corresponding copperII salts. The compounds are characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses and variable-temperature magnetic measurements. Compounds 1 and 2 are isomorphous and crystallize in the triclinic system with space group P, while 3 crystallizes in the monoclinic system with space group P21/n. The structural analyses reveal that complexes 1 and 2 are constructed by "fish backbone" chains through syn-anti (equatorial-equatorial) carboxylate bridges, which are linked to one another by syn-anti (equatorial-axial) carboxylate bridges, giving rise to a rectangular grid-like two-dimensional net. Complex 3 is formed by alternating chains of syn-anti carboxylate-bridged copperII atoms, which are linked together by strong H bonds involving coordinated nitrate ions and water molecules and uncoordinated oxygen atoms from carboxylate groups. The different coordination ability of the anions along with their involvement in the H-bonding network seems to be responsible for the difference in the final polymeric structures. Variable-temperature (2-300 K) magnetic susceptibility measurement shows the presence of weak ferromagnetic coupling for all three complexes that have been fitted with a fish backbone model developed for 1 and 2 (J = 1.74 and 0.99 cm(-1); J' = 0.19 and 0.25 cm(-1), respectively) and an alternating chain model for 3 (J = 1.19 cm(-1) and J' = 1.19 cm(-1)).