Research

Heterometallic coordination polymers

Synthesis, structure elucidation and properties of heterobimetallic compounds with dithiocarbamate-functionalized carboxylate ligands

Coordination polymers (CPs) can potentially form porous solid-state structures (metal-organic frameworks; MOFs), which can be suitable for manifold applications. In the last years, heterobimetallic CPs have gained significant reasearch interest, as they can exibit entirely different structures and properties than their homometallic analogs. However, the metal-ligand connectivity is often difficult to predict and to control and consequently, the development of rational synthetic strategies is of fundamental importance.

Dithiocarbamato-carboxylates (DTCCs) are capable to coordinate to a hard and a soft metal selectively and simultaneously, which makes them useful for the targeted and efficient construction of heterobimetallic CPs. DTCCs are readily available from amino acids and therefore cheap. In the scope of our DFG-funded research, we combine DTCC ligands of different topologies with various hard and soft main-group and transition metals. The resulting CPs are extensively characterized, e.g. by powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analyses, NMR spectroscopy, as well as the investigation of magnetic and optical properties.

Link to the DFG project No. 462687456: "Heterobimetal-organic frameworks with novel hard/soft-ditopic ligands derived from natural α-amino acids"External link