Tetrazine chromophore-based metal-organic frameworks with unusual configurations: synthetic, structural, theoretical, fluorescent, and nonlinear optical studies.

Three unusual three-dimensional (3D) tetrazine chromophore-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) {(Et4 N)[WS4 Cu3 (CN)2 (4,4'-pytz)0.5 ]}n (1), {[MoS4 Cu4 (CN)2 (4,4'-pytz)2 ]⋅CH2 Cl2 }n (2), and {[WS4 Cu3 (4,4'-pytz)3 ]⋅[N(CN)2 ]}n (3; 4,4'-pytz=3,6-bis(4-pyridyl)tetrazine) have been synthesized and characterized by using FTIR and UV/Vis spectroscopy, elemental analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, gel permeation chromatography, steady-state fluorescence, and thermogravimetric analysis; their identities were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. MOF 1 possesses the first five-connected M/S/Cu (M=Mo, W) framework with an unusual 3D (4(4) ⋅6(6) ) topology constructed from T-shaped WS4 Cu3 clusters as nodes and single CN(-) /4,4'-pytz bridges as linkers. MOF 2 features a novel 3D MOF structure with (4(20) ⋅6(8) ) topology, in which the bridging 4,4'-pytz ligands exhibit unique distorted arch structures. MOF 3 displays the first 3D MOF structure based on flywheel-shaped WS4 Cu3 clusters with a non-interpenetrating honeycomb-like framework and a heavily distorted "ACS" topology. Steady-state fluorescence studies of 1-3 reveal significant fluorescence emissions. The nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of 1-3 were investigated by using a Z-scan technique with 5 ns pulses at λ=532 nm. The Z-scan experimental results show that the π-delocalizable tetrazine-based 4,4'-pytz ligands contribute to the strong third-order NLO properties exhibited by 1-3. Time-dependent density functional theory studies afforded insight into the electronic transitions and spectral characterization of these functionalized NLO molecular materials.