Synthesis of Novel Chiral and Acentric Coordination Polymers by the Reaction of Zinc or Cadmium Salts with Racemic 3‐Pyridyl‐3‐aminopropionic Acid

Abstract

Under hydrothermal (solvothermal) reaction conditions chiral compounds 1, 2, and 3 and one acentric compound 4 were obtained by the reaction of Zn(2+) or Cd(2+) with racemic 3-(3-pyridyl)-3-aminopropionic acid (rac-HPAPA). Compounds 1 and 2 crystallized in chiral space group P2(1)2(1)2(1). At 105 degrees C, racemic 3-pyridyl-3-aminopropionic acid (rac-HPAPA) reacted with Zn(ClO4)(2).6 H2O and dehydrogenated in situ to form the first chiral coordination polymer [Zn[(E)-3-C(5)H4N-C(NH2)=CH-COO]]ClO4 (1) with a beta-dehydroamino acid. Beyond 120 degrees C, the reaction of rac-HPAPA with Zn(ClO4)(2).6 H2O deaminates in situ to form chiral coordination polymer [Zn[(E)-3-C5H4N-CH=CH-COO](OH)] (2). At relatively low temperatures (70 degrees C), the solvothermal reaction of Zn(NO3)(2).6 H2O with rac-HPAPA in methanol does not lead to any change in the ligand and results in the formation of a chiral (P2(1)2(1)2(1)) coordination polymer [Zn(papa)(NO3)] (3). The same reaction of Cd(ClO4)(2).6 H2O with HPAPA also does not lead to any change in ligand and results in the formation of noncentric (Cc) coordination polymer [Cd(papa)(Hpapa)]ClO4.H2O (4). The network topology of both 1 and 3 is 10,3a, while 2 has a diamondoid-like (KDP-like, KDP=potassium dideuterophosphate) network. Particularly interesting from a topological perspective is that 4 has an unprecedented three-dimensional network. Compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4 are all second harmonic generation (SHG) active with 1 exhibiting the strongest response, while only 4 also displays good ferroelectric properties.