Engineering of octacyanometalate-based coordination networks towards functionality

The design and construction of new supramolecular coordination compounds based on octacyanometalate [M(CN)8]3−/4− (M = Mo and W) building blocks of potential utility as functional materials has received considerable attention over the recent years. The research in this field has resulted in the cyano-bridged polynuclear octacyanometalate-based molecules and polymeric coordination networks which behave like molecular magnets and photo-induced magnetic materials. This article surveys the superstructural complexity of some coordination frameworks built by multidirectional non-rigid octacyanometalate anions as linkers in self-assembly with convergent Mn(II,III), Co(III), Cu(II) and Pt(II) complexes with polyamine, diimine and Schiff-base blocking ligands. The role of intermolecular directional forces in propagation of M–CN–M′ linkages into the architectures of various dimensionalities and topologies is pointed out. The network topologies are outlined and the structure/property relationship is discussed.