Molecular tectonics: control of packing of hybrid 1-D and 2-D H-bonded molecular networks formed between bisamidinium dication and cyanometallate anions

Upon combining the dicationic bis-amidinium tecton 2 bearing four propyl chains with tetra- and hexa-cyanometallate anions neutral 1- and 2-D hybrid networks were obtained. In the case of [M(CN)4]2− (M = Ni(II), Pd(II) and Pt(II)), the control of the spacing between consecutive 1-D H-bonded networks by the presence of the propyl chains was demonstrated. For [M(CN)6]3− (M = Fe(III), Co(III), Cr(III)), 2-D networks presenting hexagonal channels have been obtained. In marked contrast with the case based on the use of 1 for which channels are filled with water molecules, in the case of 2, as expected, the solvent molecules were replaced by propyl chains.