Rational design and construction of the first tetrahedral net with photoluminescent Cu4I4 cubane cluster as the tetrahedral node

Solvothermal reaction of CuI with flexible 1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)propane generated the first three-dimensional coordination polymer constructed with the rigid tetrahedrally connected Cu4I4 cluster unit. The net is a rare chiral triple-interpenetrated, quartz net with of vertex symbol 6(4).8(2). The solid-state luminescence spectrum displays a strong red emission band at room temperature (lambdamax= 601 nm), characteristic of the Cu4I4 cluster centers.