Fast Microwave Synthesis of a Microporous Lanthanide−Organic Framework

A microporous cationic lanthanide−organic framework, [Ce2(pydc)2(Hpydc)(H2O)2]Cl·(9+y)H2O (where pydc2− is the diprotonated residue of 2,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid), has been prepared under just 30 min (total reaction time) by applying microwave heating. The microporous framework (ca. 43% of accessible volume) contains prominent channels (cross section ca. 12 × 7 Å2) running parallel to the [001] direction housing disordered charge-balancing chloride anions and water molecules of crystallization. The BET surface area of the degassed material was calculated as approximately 106 m2/g. The solvent could be partially exchanged by chloroform or benzyl alcohol by crystal immersion at room temperature over a period of several days. Structural details and robustness, and solvent exchange tests, were investigated by using in tandem X-ray diffraction (single-crystal and powder), electron microscopy (SEM and EDS), and FT-IR spectroscopy.