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Abstract: The effect of pressure on the crystal structures of the two ambient-pressure polymorphs of the amino acid l-histidine has been investigated. Single-crystal diffraction measurements, up to 6.60 GPa for the orthorhombic form I (P212121) and 6.85 GPa for the monoclinic form II (P21), show their crystal structures undergo isosymmetric single-crystal-to-single-crystal first-order phase transitions at 4.5 and 3.1 GPa to forms I′ and II′, respectively. Although the similarity in crystal packing and intermolecular interaction energies between the polymorphs is remarkable at ambient conditions, the manner in which each polymorph responds to pressure is different. Form II is found to be more compressible than form I, with bulk moduli of 11.6(6) GPa and 14.0(5) GPa, respectively. The order of compressibility follows the densities of the polymorphs at ambient conditions (1.450 and 1.439 g cm–3 for phases I and II, respectively). The difference is also related to the space-group symmetry, the softer monoclinic form having more degrees of freedom available to accommodate the change in pressure. In the orthorhombic form, the imidazole-based hydrogen atom involved in the H-bond along the c-direction swaps the acceptor oxygen atom at the transition to phase I′; the same swap occurs just after the phase transition in the monoclinic form and is also preceded by a bifurcation. Concurrently, the H-bond and the long-range electrostatic interaction along the b-direction form a three-centered H-bond at the I to I′ transition, while they swap their character during the II to II′ transition. The structural data were interpreted using periodic-density-functional theory, symmetry-adapted perturbation theory, and semiempirical Pixel calculations, which indicate that the transition is driven by minimization of volume, the intermolecular interactions generally being destabilized by the phase transitions. Nevertheless, volume calculations are used to show that networks of intermolecular contacts in both phases are very much less compressible than the interstitial void spaces, having bulk moduli similar to moderately hard metals. The volumes of the networks actually expand over the course of both phase transitions, with the overall unit-cell-volume decrease occurring through larger compression of interstitial void space.

Open Access

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Abstract: The metal–organic framework (Me2NH2)2[Cd(NO2BDC)2] (SHF-81) comprises flattened tetrahedral Cd(O2CR)42− nodes, in which Cd(II) centres are linked via NO2BDC2− ligands (2-nitrobenzene-1,4-dicarboxylate) to give a doubly interpenetrated anionic network, with charge balanced by two Me2NH2+ cations per Cd centre resident in the pores. The study establishes that this is a twinned α-quartz-type structure (trigonal, space group P3x21, x = 1 or 2), although very close to the higher symmetry β-quartz arrangement (hexagonal, P6x22, x = 2 or 4) in its as-synthesised solvated form [Cd(NO2BDC)2]·2DMF·0.5H2O (SHF-81-DMF). The activated MOF exhibits very little N2 uptake at 77 K, but shows significant CO2 uptake at 273–298 K with an isosteric enthalpy of adsorption (ΔHads) at zero coverage of −27.4 kJ mol−1 determined for the MOF directly activated from SHF-81-DMF. A series of in situ diffraction experiments, both single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), reveal that the MOF is flexible and exhibits breathing behaviour with observed changes as large as 12% in the a- and b-axes (|Δa|, |Δb| < 1.8 Å) and 5.5% in the c-axis (|Δc| < 0.7 Å). Both the solvated SHF-81-DMF and activated/desolvated SHF-81 forms of the MOF exhibit linear negative thermal expansion (NTE), in which pores that run parallel to the c-axis expand in diameter (a- and b-axis) while contracting in length (c-axis) upon increasing temperature. Adsorption of CO2 gas at 298 K also results in linear negative expansion (Δa, Δb > 0; Δc < 0; ΔV > 0). The largest change in dimensions is observed during activation/desolvation from SHF-81-DMF to SHF-81 (Δa, Δb < 0; Δc > 0; ΔV < 0). Collectively the nine in situ diffraction experiments conducted suggest the breathing behaviour is continuous, although individual desolvation and adsorption experiments do not rule out the possibility of a gating or step at intermediate geometries that is coupled with continuous dynamic behaviour towards the extremities of the breathing amplitude.

Open Access

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Abstract: Despite possessing the desirable crystal packing and short Pt···Pt stacking distances required for a large piezoresistive response, the conductivity-pressure response of the Magnus green salt [Pt(NH3)4][PtCl4] is extremely sluggish. Through a combination of high-pressure X-ray diffraction and hybrid-DFT solid state calculations this study demonstrates that the poor conductivity-pressure response is due to a low volumetric compression anisotropy, a relatively large ambient pressure band gap and a lack of dispersion in the conduction band. Ligand modification (from NH3 to NH2CH3) does not enhance the piezoresistive response, causing even lower anisotropy of the volumetric compression and an unexpected phase transition at above 2 GPa. This study demonstrates that consideration of frontier band dispersion is a key design criterion, alongside crystal packing and Pt···Pt stacking distances for piezoresistive materials.

Open Access

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Abstract: Bis(1,2-dionedioximato) complexes of Pt(II) are known for their propensity to form linear chains of metal complexes in the solid state, and under the application of pressure members of the family display interesting optical and conductive properties. Two examples, Pt(bqd)2 and Pt(dmg)2, are known to undergo insulator-to-metal-to-insulator transitions, with the metallic state reached at 0.8–1.4 GPa and 5 GPa, respectively. Previous interpretations of these materials’ behaviour focused on the role of the filled dz2 and vacant p orbitals on platinum, with little consideration to the role of the ligand. Here, the pressure-structural behaviour of Pt(bqd)2 is investigated through single crystal X-ray diffraction, the first such study on this material. The difference in conductive behaviour under pressure between Pt(bqd)2 and Pt(dmg)2 is then interpreted through a combination of experimental and computational methods, including conductivity measurements under high pressure and electronic structure calculations. Our computational work reveals the significant contribution from ligand low-lying vacant π-orbitals to the frontier orbitals and bands in these complexes, and provides an explanation for the experimentally observed re-entrant insulator-to-metal-to-insulator transitions, and the differences in behaviour between the two compounds.

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Abstract: The synthesis of conventional porous crystals involves building a framework using reversible chemical bond formation, which can result in hydrolytic instability. In contrast, porous molecular crystals assemble using only weak intermolecular interactions, which generally do not provide the same environmental stability. Here, we report that the simple co-crystallization of a phthalocyanine derivative and a fullerene (C60 or C70) forms porous molecular crystals with environmental stability towards high temperature and hot aqueous base or acid. Moreover, by using diamond anvil cells and synchrotron single-crystal measurements, stability towards extreme pressure (>4 GPa) is demonstrated, with the stabilizing fullerene held between two phthalocyanines and the hold tightening at high pressure. Access to open metal centres within the porous molecular co-crystal is demonstrated by in situ crystallographic analysis of the chemisorption of pyridine, oxygen and carbon monoxide. This suggests strategies for the formation of highly stable and potentially functional porous materials using only weak van der Waals intermolecular interactions.