Catenation control in the two-dimensional coordination polymers based on tritopic carboxylate linkers and azamacrocyclic nickel(II) complexes.

Four new coordination polymer frameworks, namely [(NiL(1))(3)(BTB)(2)]·6H(2)O, [(NiL(2))(3)(BTB)(2)]·6H(2)O, [(NiL(3))(3)(BTB)(2)]·6H(2)O and [(NiL(2))(3)(BTC)(2)]·10.25H(2)O (L(1) = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane, L(2) = 3-methyl-1,3,5,8,12-pentaazacyclotetradecane, L(3) = 3,10-dimethyl-1,3,5,8,10,12-hexaazacyclotetradecane, BTC(3-) = benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate, BTB(3-) = 4,4',4''-benzene-1,3,5-triyl-tribenzoate) were prepared in water-N,N-dimethylformamide solutions. The molecular and crystal structures of these compounds are compared to the related coordination polymers formed by nickel(II) macrocyclic cations to examine the effect of carboxylate linker size on the framework architecture.