Two new CdII MOFs of 1,4-bis(1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)butane and flexible dicarboxylate ligands: luminescence sensing towards Fe3+

Abstract

Two new CdII MOFs, namely, two-dimensional (2D) poly[[[μ2-1,4-bis(1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)butane](μ2-heptanedioato)cadmium(II)] tetrahydrate], {[Cd(C7H10O4)(C18H18N4)]·4H2O} n or {[Cd(Pim)(bbimb)]·4H2O} n (1), and 2D poly[diaqua[μ2-1,4-bis(1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)butane](μ4-decanedioato)(μ2-decanedioato)dicadmium(II)], [Cd2(C10H16O4)2(C18H18N4)(H2O)2] n or [Cd(Seb)(bbimb)0.5(H2O)] n (2), have been synthesized hydrothermally based on the 1,4-bis(1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)butane (bbimb) and pimelate (Pim2−, heptanedioate) or sebacate (Seb2−, decanedioate) ligands. Both MOFs were structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In 1, the CdII centres are connected by bbimb and Pim2− ligands to generate a 2D sql layer structure with an octameric (H2O)8 water cluster. The 2D layers are further connected by O—H...O hydrogen bonds, resulting in a three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular structure. In 2, the CdII centres are coordinated by Seb2− ligands to form binuclear Cd2 units which are linked by bbimb and Seb2− ligands into a 2D hxl layer. The 2D layers are further connected by O—H...O hydrogen bonds, leading to an 8-connected 3D hex supramolecular network. IR and UV–Vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and solid-state photoluminescence analysis were carried out on both MOFs. Luminescence sensing experiments reveal that both MOFs have good selective sensing towards Fe3+ in aqueous solution.