Control of water molecule aggregations in copper 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate coordination polymers containing pyridyl–piperazine type ligands

• Layered copper coordination polymers containing 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate.
• Long-spanning hydrogen-bonding capable pyridyl–piperazine type coligands.
• Different co-crystallized water molecule aggregations: tapes and decamers.
• In situ cis to trans isomerization of 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate in one case.

A series of layered divalent copper coordination polymers containing 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate and long-spanning pyridyl–piperazine type ligands exhibits greatly different co-crystallized water molecule aggregations depending on the specific ligands used. Both [Cu(t-14cdc)(4-bpmp)]n (1, t-14cdc = trans-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate, 4-bpmp = bis(4-pyridylmethyl)piperazine) and {[Cu(t-14cdc)(4-bpfp)(H2O)2]·6H2O}n (2, 4-bpfp = bis(4-pyridylformyl)piperazine) possess 2D (4,4) coordination polymer grids. However 1 lacks any co-crystallized water and has pinched grid apertures, while 2 manifests infinite water tapes with T6(2)4(2) classification and rectangular grid apertures. {[Cu2(c-14cdc)2(4-bpmp)]·2H2O}n (3, c-14cdc = cis-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) has [Cu2(c-14cdc)]2 ribbons with paddlewheel dimeric units linked into 2D slabs by 4-bpmp tethers, along with isolated water molecule pairs. In contrast, {[Cu2(c-14cdc)2(4-bpfp)]·10H2O}n (4) shows a very similar underlying coordination polymer topology but entrains unique decameric water molecule clusters. The minor product {[Cu2(c-14cdcH)2(t-1,4-cdc)(4-bpfp)2(H2O)2]·2H2O}n (5) was isolated along with 4; this compound underwent some in situ cis to trans cyclohexane-dicarboxylate ligand isomerization and exhibits a ladder polymer motif.