A hexagonal C3-symmetric (H2O)7 guest fits well into a C3-symmetric terbium complex cavity

A C3-symmetric terbium complex {[Tb2(pztc)3]⋅6.5H2O}n (1) (pztc = pyrazine-2,3,5,6-tetracarboxylate), with hexagonal cavities, has been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by X-ray single-crystal diffraction, elemental analysis, IR, TGA, PXRD and fluorescence measurements. The layer structure of the 2D complex is just like the structure of graphite. The most appealing structure is that a hexagonal C3-symmetric (H2O)7 guest fits into the hexagonal C3-symmetric terbium complex cavity very fitly. Furthermore, when the water clusters are driven off, the framework does not collapse and the luminescence intensity increases.

Graphical abstractA hexagonal C3-symmetric terbium complex {[Tb2(pztc)3]⋅6.5H2O}n (1) (pztc = pyrazine-2,3,5,6-tetracarboxylate), with hexagonal cavities, has been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. The layer structure of the infinite 2D complex is just like the structure of the graphite. The most appealing structure is that a hexagonal C3-symmetric (H2O)7 guest fits into the hexagonal C3-symmetric terbium complex cavity very fitly.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide