Direct observation of the labile imine formation through single-crystal-to-single-crystal reactions in the pores of a porous coordination network

We report an approach to in situ observation of unstable species produced by a single-cystal-to single-crystal chemical reaction. We succeeded in uniform formation and the direct observation of unstable imines in pores of a 3-D porous coordination network with aldehydes provided by guest exchange. Moreover, we found the remarkable dynamic motion of a part of the host framework by changing aldehydes.