Two-Step Spin Crossover 3D Hofmann-Type Coordination Polymers Including a Functional Group in the Organic Moiety

Spin crossover (SCO) complexes can switch between two electronic states in response to various stimuli. Coordination complexes can be assembled to form coordination polymers or Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), which offer numerous opportunities for developing advanced functional materials with selective binding capabilities for specific analytes. To validate the inclusion of potential receptor groups in 3D SCO MOFs, three new SCO Hofmann-clathrate-like structures were synthesized, including DPBz-Est (Inorg. Chem. 2013, 52, 4205) as an organic ligand. The introduction of this functional group enabled potential postsynthetic modification, where chemical modifications could be made after the crystal structure was formed. The magnetic performance of the samples revealed a two-step SCO behavior.