Dinuclear Copper Sulfate-Based Square Lattice Topology Network with High Alkyne Selectivity.

Porous coordination networks (PCNs) sustained by inorganic anions that serve as linker ligands can offer high selectivity toward specific gases or vapors in gas mixtures. Such inorganic anions are best exemplified by electron-rich fluorinated anions, e.g., SiF, TiF, and NbOF, although sulfate anions have recently been highlighted as inexpensive and earth-friendly alternatives. Herein, we report the use of a rare copper sulfate dimer molecular building block to generate two square lattice, , coordination networks which can be prepared via solvent layering or slurrying, CuSO(1,4-bib), , (1,4-bib = 1,4-bisimidazole benzene) and CuSO(1,4-bin), , (1,4-bin = 1,4-bisimidazole naphthalene). Variable-temperature SCXRD and PXRD experiments revealed that both networks underwent reversible structural transformations due to linker rotations or internetwork displacements. Gas sorption studies conducted upon the narrow-pore phase of CuSO(1,4-bin), , found a high calculated 1:99 selectivity for CH over CH (33.01) and CO (15.18), as well as strong breakthrough performance. Across-the-board, CH selectivity vs CH, CO, and CH was also observed. Sulfate-based PCNs, although still understudied, appear increasingly likely to offer utility in gas and vapor separations.