A (3,14)-connected three-dimensional metal-organic framework based on the unprecedented enneanuclear copper(II) cluster [Cu9(μ3-OH)4(μ2-OH)2]

A hydrothermal reaction of Cu(NO3)(2), 1,2-bis(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)ethane (bte) and 5-sulfoisophthalate (sip) yields an interesting three-dimensional metal-organic framework {[Cu-9(OH)(6)(bte)(2)(sip)(4)(H2O)(3)]center dot 6H(2)O}(n) (1). A single-crystal analysis revealed that compound 1 consists of a (3,14)-connected three-dimensional MOF with a point symbol of (3.4(2))(4)(3(8).4(14).5(16).6(40).7(9).8(4)) based on the unprecedented enneanuclear copper(II) cluster [Cu-9(mu(3)-OH)(4)(mu(2)-OH)(2)]. The [Cu-9(mu(3)-OH)(4)(mu(2)-OH)(2)] enneanuclear copper(II) cluster can be described as consisting of two [Cu-4(mu(3)-OH)(2)] moieties connected to a centrally placed Cu(II) ion (Cu1) through two mu(2)-OH groups. 1 shows dominant antiferromagnetic coupling interactions and good photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange.