Archive for March, 2012

This weeks CrystEngSelects

Here is this week’s selection of advanced articles and accepted manuscripts of interest to crystal engineers from across the RSC journals

Articles are chosen from:
ChemComm,
Chemical Science,
CrystEngComm,
Dalton Transactions,
Journal of Materials Chemistry,
Nanoscale,
New Journal of Chemistry,
RSC Advances.

A triple helix of double helicates: three hierarchical levels of self-assembly in a single structure
Andrew Stephenson and Michael D. Ward
Chem. Commun., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2CC30197K, Communication

An asymmetric oligomer based on thienoacene for solution processed crystal organic thin-film transistors
Hongkun Tian, Yang Han, Cheng Bao, Donghang Yan, Yanhou Geng and Fosong Wang
Chem. Commun., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2CC30407D, Communication

Molecular chirality and chiral capsule-type dimer formation of cyclic triamides via hydrogen-bonding interactions
Noriko Fujimoto, Mio Matsumura, Isao Azumaya, Shizuka Nishiyama, Hyuma Masu, Hiroyuki Kagechika and Aya Tanatani
Chem. Commun., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2CC18177K, Communication

Highly Branched Pt-Ni Nanocrystals Enclosed by Stepped Surface
Zhiqiang Niu, Dingsheng Wang, Rong Yu, Qing Peng and Yadong Li
Chem. Sci., 2012, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C2SC00004K, Edge Article

Kinetics and mechanism of metal–organic framework thin film growth: systematic investigation of HKUST-1 deposition on QCM electrodes
Vitalie Stavila, Joanne Volponi, Aaron M. Katzenmeyer, Matthew C. Dixon and Mark D. Allendorf
Chem. Sci., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2SC20065A, Edge Article

Morphology, wettability, and photomicropatterning of superhydrophobic surface with high adhesive force by crystal growth of a photochromic diarylethene
Daichi Kitagawa and Seiya Kobatake
Chem. Sci., 2012, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C2SC20051A, Edge Article

Recent advances in porphyrinic metal–organic frameworks: materials design, synthetic strategies, and emerging applications
Brandon J. Burnett, Paul M. Barron and Wonyoung Choe
CrystEngComm, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2CE06692K

Facile solvothermal synthesis and growth mechanism of flower-like PbTe dendrites assisted by cyclodextrin
Rencheng Jin, Gang Chen, Jian Pei, Chunshuang Yan, Xian Zou, Mingda Deng and Shuai Sun
CrystEngComm, 2012, 14, 2327-2332
DOI: 10.1039/C2CE06417K

Coordination polymers, metal–organic frameworks and the need for terminology guidelines
Stuart R. Batten, Neil R. Champness, Xiao-Ming Chen, Javier Garcia-Martinez, Susumu Kitagawa, Lars Öhrström, Michael O’Keeffe, Myunghyun Paik Suh and Jan Reedijk
CrystEngComm, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2CE06488J

Progress in lead-based ferroelectric and antiferroelectric single crystals: composition modification, crystal growth and properties
Nengneng Luo, Yuanyuan Li, Zhiguo Xia and Qiang Li
CrystEngComm, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2CE06430H, Highlight

Lanthanide–tungstobismuthate clusters based on [BiW9O33]9− building units: synthesis, crystal structures, luminescent and magnetic properties
Keyu Cui, Fengyan Li, Lin Xu, Bingbing Xu, Ning Jiang, Yuchao Wang and Jianping Zhang
Dalton Trans., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2DT11478J, Paper

Chemo-switched chromatic, magnetic and structural changes with retention of molecular crystallinity, Ni(12aneS4)(BF4)2
Andrew J. Churchard, Mariana Derzsi, Zvonko Jagličić, Arndt Remhof and Wojciech Grochala
Dalton Trans., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2DT12468H, Paper

Highly crystalline strontium ferrites SrFeO3−δ: an easy and effective wet-chemistry synthesis
S. Diodati, L. Nodari, M. M. Natile, U. Russo, E. Tondello, L. Lutterotti and S. Gross
Dalton Trans., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2DT11916A, Paper

Growth of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 Crystals from the Solid-liquid Interface
Minqi Zhu, Jacek B Jasinski and MOISES A Carreon
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM30718A, Communication

Self-assembly of ZnO nanocrystals into nanoporous pyramids: high selective adsorption and photocatalytic activity Yunxin Liu, Jianxin Shi, Qing Peng and Yadong Li
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM16729H, Communication

Organotemplate-free and one-pot fabrication of nano-rod assembled plate-like micro-sized mordenite crystals
Limin Ren, Qiang Guo, Haiyan Zhang, Longfeng Zhu, Chengguang Yang, Liang Wang, Xiangju Meng, Zhaochi Feng, Can Li and Feng-Shou Xiao
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM30478C, Communication

Infrared colloidal lead chalcogenide nanocrystals: Synthesis, properties, and photovoltaic applications
Huiying Fu and Sai-Wing Tsang
Nanoscale, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2NR11836J, Review

Electrical and Thermal Properties of a Carbon Nanotube/Polycrystalline BiFeO3/Pt Photovoltaic Heterojunction with CdSe Quantum Dots Sensitization
Yongyuan Zang, Dan Xie, Yu Chen, Tian-Ling Ren, Hongwei Zhu and David Plant
Nanoscale, 2012, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C2NR30084B, Paper

Photo-to-current response of Bi2Fe4O9 nanocrystals synthesized through a chemical co-precipitation process
Yongping Li, Yongcheng Zhang, Wanneng Ye, Jianqiang Yu, Chaojing Lu and Linhua Xia
New J. Chem., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2NJ40039A, Letter

Photonic crystal pH and metal cation sensors based on poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel
Hongliang Jiang, Yihua Zhu, Cheng Chen, Jianhua Shen, Hua Bao, Liming Peng, Xiaoling Yang and Chunzhong Li
New J. Chem., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2NJ20989F, Paper

Homochiral 1D-helical coordination polymers from achiral cucurbit[5]uril: hydroquinone-induced spontaneous resolution
Kai Chen, Ying-Feng Hu, Xin Xiao, Sai-Feng Xue, Zhu Tao, Yun-Qian Zhang, Qian-Jiang Zhu and Jing-Xin Liu
RSC Adv., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2RA01132H, Communication

H2Ti6O13, a new protonated titanate prepared by Li+/H+ ion exchange: synthesis, crystal structure and electrochemical Li insertion properties
J. C. Pérez-Flores, C. Baehtz, M. Hoelzel, A. Kuhn and F. García-Alvarado
RSC Adv., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2RA01134D, Paper

Synthesis of highly crystalline In2Ge2O7(En) hybrid sub-nanowires with ultraviolet photoluminescence emissions and their selective photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into renewable fuel
Qi Liu, Yong Zhou, Yue Ma and Zhigang Zou
RSC Adv., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2RA20186K, Communication

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Hot Highlight: Porphyrinic metal organic frameworks

Three types of possible pillaring present in porphyrin paddlewheel frameworks using a 4,4'-bipyridine ligand

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a hot topic of research in crystal engineering given the range of potential applications, including catalysis, gas storage and sensing. The construction of the crystalline materials is very important to determine the properties of the material and this is controlled by careful selection of linkers (organic molecules) and joints (metal ions or clusters). 

Porphyrins provide a versatile choice of linker as they can accommodate a range of transition metals and main group elements, this allows metals to be introduced into the frameworks without the need for them to also act as joints, making the metal ions more accessible and increasing interaction with guest molecules. 

Schematic illustration of a metal–organic framework, assembled from metal nodes and metalloligands

Porphyrin based MOFs have been reported by Robson, Goldberg, Suslick, Li, Choe, Hupp, Ma and others, this Hot Highlight by Brandon Burnett, Paul Barron and Wonyoung Choe reviews the recent advances in porphyrinic MOFs, focussing on materials design, synthetic strategies and emerging applications. 

You can download the article below, which is free to access for 4 weeks 

Recent advances in porphyrinic metal–organic frameworks: materials design, synthetic strategies, and emerging applications
Brandon J. Burnett, Paul M. Barron and Wonyoung Choe
CrystEngComm, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2CE06692K 

Also of interest 

Highly tunable metal–organic frameworks with open metal centers
Eun-Young Choi, Curtis A. Wray, Chunhua Hu and Wonyoung Choe
CrystEngComm, 2009, 11, 553-555
DOI: 10.1039/B819707P 

A mixed-linker porphyrin framework with CdI2-type topology
Eun-Young Choi, Paul M. Barron, Richard W. Novotney, Chunhua Hu, Young-UK Kwon and Wonyoung Choe
CrystEngComm, 2008, 10, 824-826
DOI: 10.1039/B720035H 

Four new 2D porous polymeric frames from the self-assembly of silver triflate and silver tosylate with free-base and Zn-metallated 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-pyridyl)Porphyrin
Lucia Carlucci, Gianfranco Ciani, Davide M. Proserpio and Francesca Porta
CrystEngComm, 2005, 7, 78-86
DOI: 10.1039/B417709F 

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2012 Gordon Research Conference on Crystal Engineering

The 2012 Gordon Research Conference on Crystal Engineering will be held in the Waterville Valley Resort, New Hampshire, USA from 10–15th June 2012.

The conference is chaired by Robin D. Rogers  alongside CrystEngComm Associate Editor, Christer Aakeröy  and Mike Zaworotko who are vice chairing). Sessions will include Nucleation, Crystal Growth, and Solid State Reactivity; Polymorphism and Crystal Structure Prediction; and Catalysis in Porous Materials. Susan Bourne (University of Cape Town), Lee Cronin (University of Glasgow), Pierangelo Metrangolo (Politecnico di Milano)  and Gautam Desiraju (Indian Institute of Science) have been invited to speak. Read my recent interview with Professor Desiraju here

There will be a Crystal Engineering Gordon Research Seminar before the conference on 9–10th June, focusing on the design, synthesis, and applications of metal–organic materials and coordination polymers. These seminars are a forum for graduate students, post-docs, and other scientists with comparable levels of experience and education to present and exchange new ideas. The deadline for registration for this seminar is 12th May 2012.

The application deadline for the conference is 13th May 2012. CrystEngComm Deputy Editor, Fiona McKenzie, is planning to attend and would love to meet you there if you are too – please let her know.

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March Crystal Clear: Crystal Snowflakes

This month’s Crystal Clear shows crystals which look remarkably like snowflakes!

FESEM image of dendritic PbTe nano-crystals

In fact this is an image of three-dimensional PbTe dendrites, taken using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The paper, published in Issue 6 of CrystEngComm, details the fabrication of these crystals in the presence of β-cyclodextrin.

Gang Chen et al. of the Harbin Institute of Technology have developed a facile synthesis to control the morphology of the nano-crystals. Lead telluride is a typical IV–VI semiconductor and controlling the size and shape of the material has initiated substantial interest. Nano-cubes, nano-octahedrons, nano-wires, nano-rods and hopper crystals have been synthesised as well as flower-like and dendritic structures.

These dendritic crystals have been successfully synthesized via a facile, rapid solvothermal process in the presence of β-cyclodextrin. The authors have characterised the products and propose a mechanism of formation for the crystals and the influencing parameters.

To read more about their developments you can download the article now, which is free to access for 4 weeks.

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Facile solvothermal synthesis and growth mechanism of flower-like PbTe dendrites assisted by cyclodextrin
Rencheng Jin, Gang Chen, Jian Pei, Chunshuang Yan, Xian Zou, Mingda Deng and Shuai Sun
CrystEngComm, 2012, 14, 2327-2332
DOI: 10.1039/C2CE06417K

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