Three different pillared assemblies with abundant topological architectures based on 4-sulfobenzoic ligand

•Acetonitrile and propionitrile were obtained from the amination of glycerol.•The parameters influencing the catalytic performance were studied thoroughly.•The possible pathways for the generation of the products are given.•The doping of potassium increases the BET surface of iron oxide based catalyst.•The reasons for the deactivation of catalyst Fe20K0.2/γ-Al2O3 were revealed.

One unprecedented three-dimensional 4-sbe complex [K(4-sbe)]n (1) and two proton-transfer compounds of 4-Hsb with amines, named as [(4-Hsb)·(NH4)·(H2O)]n (2) and {[(4-Hsb)]2·(H2bpe)·2(H2O)}n (3) have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray analyses, elemental analyses, IR spectra, TG analyses, and fluorescence studies, where 4-sbe is 4-sulfobenzoic ester, 4-Hsb is 4-sulfobenzoate monoanion and H2bpe is protonated 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene. All of the complexes share the common pillared architectures. Complex 1 is the first example of 4-sbe complexes with a 5-c bnn hexagonal BN net. In contrast, compounds 2 and 3 are two hydrogen-bonded 3D structures. In 2, 4-Hsb ligands brace the adjacent layers constructed by NH4+ and water molecules through hydrogen bonds, generating a new 4, 5, 9-c 3-nodal net. In 3, H2bpe species further assemble the 2-D hydrogen-bonding network comprising of 4-Hsb and water molecules into a 3D InS net with channels. Basically, 4-sbe/4-Hsb either coordinates to metal centers or serves as hydrogen-bonding acceptors/donors giving 5, 9 and 4-connected nodes in the topological networks of compounds 1–3 respectively. Solid state properties such as luminescence and thermal stability of the complexes have been investigated.