Molecular tectonics: zinc coordination networks based on centric and acentric porphyrins bearing pyridyl units

Two new ligands, one symmetric 1 and the other acentric 2, based on a porphyrin backbone bearing either two ethynylpyridyl or one pyridyl and one ethynylpyridyl coordinating groups connected to the porphyrin at two opposite meso positions have been designed and prepared. In the presence of a Zn(II) cation, they lead to the formation of neutral metallatectons 1-Zn and 2-Zn which self-assemble into coordination networks in the crystalline phase. Whereas the metallatecton 1-Zn leads exclusively to the formation of grid type 2D networks, 2-Zn generates two types of crystals with rod and rhombic morphologies. The rod type crystals are composed of a 1D zigzag type arrangement whereas crystals with rhombic morphology are composed of directional 2D grid type architecture. The packing of the latter leading to the formation of the crystal occurs in a centrosymmetric fashion causing thus the loss of directionality.