Synthesis and crystal structure of Cu2[bbimb]: A metal-organic framework with zeolite ABW topology

A new copper(I) imidazolate metal-organic framework, Cu2[bbimb] (1), has been synthesized by solvothermal reaction of Cu(NO3)2 · 3H2O and 1,3-bis(2-benzimidazol)benzene (H2bbimb) in an ammonium/methanol mixture. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the structure of compound 1 contains three crystallographically independent Cu(I) ions and one bbimb2− ligand. Each copper center in 1 is linearly coordinated by two nitrogen atoms from two different bbimb ligands and each bbimb coordinates four copper ions to form a neutral three-dimensional metal-organic framework with zeolite ABW topology. Crystal data for 1: Monoclinic, C2/c, a = 22.1660(9) Å, b = 14.9825(7) Å, c = 11.4773(4) Å, β = 107.972(2)o, V = 3625.7(3) Å3, Z = 8.