Self-Assembled Luminescent Networks of Copper(I) Cyanide Robert D. Pike, Department of Chemistry, College of William & Mary
Self-assembly reactions result in the spontaneous formation of intricate threedimensional networks from simple components. The resulting networks may important for their optical, magnetic, mechanical, separating, or sequestering properties. Our self-assembly reactions of piperazine (Pip) and related diamines (B) with copper(I) cyanide in water have resulted in a wealth of materials showing CuCN:B ratios including 1:1, 3:2, 2:1, 5:2, 3:1, 7:2, 4:1 and others. X-ray crystallography has shown that the higher ratio (copper-rich) products are typically comprised of (CuCN)2(B) threaded with additional CuCN chains. These materials have shown very intense photoluminescence, converting UV light into visible emission.
(CuCN)20(Pip)7
CuCN + KCN + H 2O + N
(CuCN) 2(B) sheet
N
Me2Pip
N
N
MePip
CuCN chain
[(CuCN)2(Me2Pip)]•2CuCN = (CuCN)4(Me2Pip)
2[(CuCN)2(MePip)]•3CuCN = (CuCN)7(MePip)2
N
N Pip
room light
UV light
6[(CuCN)2(Pip)]•[(CuCN)8(Pip)] = (CuCN)20(Pip)7
