Synthesis and structure determination of new open-framework chromium carboxylate MIL-105 or CrIII(OH)·{O2C–C6(CH3)4–CO2}·nH2O

Two new three-dimensional chromium(III) dicarboxylate, MIL-105 or Cr^III(OH)·{O₂C-C₆(CH₃)₄-CO₂}·nH₂O, have been obtained under hydrothermal conditions, and their structures solved using X-ray powder diffraction data. Both solids are structural analogs of the known Cr benzenedicarboxylate compound (MIL-53). Both contain trans corner-sharing CrO₄(OH)₂ octahedral chains connected by tetramethylterephthalate di-anions. Each chain is linked by the ligands to four other chains to form a three-dimensional framework with an array of 1D pores channels. The pores of the high temperature form of the solid, MIL-105ht, are empty. However, MIL-105ht re-hydrates at room temperature to finally give MIL-105lt with pores channels filled with free water molecules (lt: low temperature form; ht: high temperature form). The thermal behaviour of the two solids has been investigated using TGA. Crystal data for MIL-105ht: monoclinic space group C2/c with a = 19.653(1) Å, b = 9.984(1) Å, c = 6.970(1) Å, β = 110.67(1)° and Z = 4. Crystal data for MIL-105lt: orthorhombic space group Pnam with a = 17.892(1) Å, b = 11.165(1) Å, c = 6.916(1) Å and Z = 4.