Two Ni(II) semiconducting metal-organic frameworks based on the tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)silane and an imidazole ligand: Syntheses, characterization, water stability and photoelectric properties

By applying mixed ligands of an imidazole, 1,4-bis(2-methylimidazol-1-yl)benzene (BMIB) and the tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)silane (H4TCS), two novel visible light responsive, semiconducting Ni(II)-MOFs, the moisture stable two-fold 3D [Ni2(TCS)(BIMB)2] (1) (Band gap: 2.47 eV) and the water stable 2D [Ni2(H2TCS)2(BIMB)2]·H2O (2·H2O) (Band gap: 2.31 eV) were obtained.383