Synthesis and crystal structure of Cu2[bbirnb]: A metal-organic framework with zeolite ABW topology

A new copper(I) imidazolate metal-organic framework, Cu-2[bbimb] (1), has been synthesized by solvo-thermal reaction of Cu(NO3)(2) center dot 3H(2)O and 1,3-bis(2-benzimidazol)benzene (H(2)bbimb) in an ammonium/methanol mixture. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the structure of compound I contains three crystallographically independent Cu(I) ions and one bbimb(2-) ligand. Each copper center in I is linearly coordinated by two nitrogen atoms from two different bbimb ligands and each bbimb coordinates four copper ions to form a neutral three-dimensional metal-organic framework with zeolite ABW topology. Crystal data for 1: Monoclinic, C2/c, a = 22.1660(9) angstrom, b = 14.9825(7) angstrom, c = 11.4773(4) angstrom, beta = 107.972(2)degrees, V = 3625.7(3) angstrom(3), Z = 8. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.