Lanthanide contraction effect on crystal structures of lanthanide coordination polymers with cyclohexanocucurbit[6]uril ligand
A series of compounds based on the macrocyclic ligand cyclohexanocucurbit[6]uril (Cy6Q[6]) with formulas (Ln(H{sub 2}O){sub 6}Cy6Q[6])·2(CdCl{sub 4})·H{sub 3}O·xH{sub 2}O [isomorphous with Ln=La (1), Ce (2), Pr (3) and Nd (4), x=11 (1), 11 (2), 10 (3) and 11 (4)], (Sm(H{sub 2}O){sub 5}Cy6Q[6])·2(CdCl{sub 4})·H{sub 3}O·10H{sub 2}O (5) and (Ln(H{sub 2}O){sub 5}(NO{sub 3})@Cy6Q[6])·2(CdCl{sub 4})·2H{sub 3}O·xH{sub 2}O [isomorphous with Ln=Gd (6), Tb (7) and Dy (8), x=8 (6), 6 (7) and 6 (8)], have been successfully synthesized by the self-assembly of Cy6Q[6] with the corresponding lanthanide nitrate under hydrochloric acid aqueous solution in the presence of CdCl{sub 2}. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that compounds 1–8 all crystallize in monoclinic space group P2{sub 1}/c, and display 1D coordination polymer structures. The lanthanide contraction effect on the structures of 1–8 has also been investigated and discussed in detail. In contrast, the reaction of Cy6Q[6] with the Ho(NO){sub 3}, Tm(NO){sub 3}, Yb(NO){sub 3} under the same conditions resulted in the compounds 9–11 with formulas Cy6Q[6]·2(CdCl{sub 4})·2H{sub 3}O·xH{sub 2}O [isomorphous with x=10 (9), 10 (10), and 9 (11)], in which no lanthanide cations are observed. The structural difference of these compounds indicates that the Cy6Q[6] may be used in the separation of lanthanide cations. - Graphical abstract: The reaction of cyclohexanocucurbit[6]uril with lanthanide ions (La{sup 3+}, Ce{sup 3+}, Pr{sup 3+}, Nd{sup 3+}, Sm{sup 3+}, Gd{sup 3+}, Tb{sup 3+}, Dy{sup 3+}, Ho{sup 3+}, Tm{sup 3+} and Yb{sup 3+}) under hydrochloric acid in the presence of CdCl{sub 2} resulted in eleven compounds, which demonstrate interesting lanthanide contraction effect and provide a means of separating lanthanide ions. - Highlights: • Eleven compounds of the Ln{sup 3+} with the Cy6Q[6] were synthesized and described. • Compounds 1-8 demonstrate interesting lanthanide contraction effect. • In solid-state structures of compounds 9-11, no lanthanide ions were observed. • This study provides a means of separating lanthanides cations.