Bucky-blocks: templating a coordination network with C60

The reaction of NiCl2 center dot 6H(2)O with 4'-tert-butyl-4,2':6',4 ''-terpyridine (1) in MeOH/1,2-Cl2C6H4 leads to the formation of the 2-dimensional coordination polymer 4[Ni2Cl4(1)(4)]center dot 13(1,2-Cl2C6H4)center dot 30H(2)O. Each sheet comprises [4 + 4] macrocycles interconnected by octahedral trans-{NiCl2N4} nodes. In the presence of C-60, NiCl2 center dot 6H(2)O and ligand 1 combine in MeOH/1,2-Cl2C6H4 to give crystalline solvated 3 [NiCl2(1)(2)]center dot C-60 which has a lamellar structure intercalated with C-60 molecules. The fullerene templates the formation of [3 + 3] bowl-shaped macrocycles which are connected through octahedral trans-{NiCl2N4} nodes to [6 + 6] macrocycles generating 2-dimensional sheets.