Metal–organic supramolecular compounds self-assembled from [Mg(H2O)6]2+clusters and ferrocene-containing carboxylic acids to inverse lipid-like layered structures with good pH response

Two metal–organic supramolecular compounds, [Mg(H2O)6]·2FcCO2·2H2O (1) and [Mg(H2O)6]·2FcCOC6H4CO2·2H2O (2), were prepared by solvothermal synthesis. The solids exhibit non-covalent self-assembly and layered structures with unprecedented inverse lipid-like bilayer arrangements. Further investigations revealed that the layered structures were sensitive to pH changes. The proposed synthesis method in this report would allow development of new types of pH-responsive materials.