Structural transition between a (4,4)-net and a CdI2-net in Cd(II) compounds and conversion from a mixture to a pure substance

•Solvent-mediated structural transition between (4,4)-net and CdI2-net•Thermodynamically favored conversion by recrystallization process.•A mixture can be converted into pure substance in this way.

The coordination of a rigid triangular ligand 2,4,6-tris[4-(1H-imidazole-1-yl)phenyl]-1,3,5-triazine (TIPT) with Cd(II) ions afforded two compounds with structural motifs of a CdI2-type and a (4,4) network for anions OTf− (CF3SO3−) and OTs− (p-CH3C6H5SO3−), respectively, between which structural transition can be induced by anion exchange via solvent-mediated recrystallization process. Using this method, a pure substance can be obtained from a mixture under the excess of certain kind of anions.

Graphical abstractStructural transition between (4,4)-net and CdI2-net can be induced by anion exchange via solvent-mediated recrystallization process in Cd(II) complexes.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide