Abstract
Crystalline frameworks composed of hexacoordinate silicon species have thus far only been observed in a few high pressure silicate phases. By implementing reversible Si-O chemistry for the crystallization of covalent organic frameworks, we demonstrate the simple one-pot synthesis of silicate organic frameworks based on octahedral dianionic SiO6 building units.
Clear evidence of the hexacoordinate environment around the silicon atoms is given by Si-29 nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. Characterization by high-resolution powder X-ray diffraction, density functional theory calculation and analysis of the pair-distribution function showed that those anionic frameworks-M-2[Si(C16H10O4)(1.5)], where M = Li, Na, K and C16H10O4 is 9,10-dimethylanthracene-2,3,6,7-tetraolate-crystallize as two-dimensional hexagonal layers stabilized in a fully eclipsed stacking arrangement with pronounced disorder in the stacking direction.
Permanent microporosity with high surface area (up to 1,276 m(2) g(-1)) was evidenced by gas-sorption measurements. The negatively charged backbone balanced with extra-framework cations and the permanent microporosity are characteristics that are shared with zeolites.