Energy‐Efficient Iodine Uptake by a Molecular Host⋅Guest Crystal

authors

  • Yang Xue
  • Li Chunyang
  • Giorgi Michel
  • Siri Didier
  • Bugaut Xavier
  • Chatelet Bastien
  • Gigmes Didier
  • Yemloul Mehdi
  • Hornebecq Virginie
  • Kermagoret Anthony
  • Brasselet Sophie
  • Martinez Alexandre
  • Bardelang David

keywords

  • Cucurbituril
  • Iodine Adsorption
  • Porous Material
  • Supramolecular
  • Verkade Superbase

document type

ART

abstract

Recently, porous organic crystals (POC) based on macrocycles have shown exceptional sorption and separation properties. Yet, the impact of guest presence inside a macrocycle prior to adsorption has not been studied. Here we show that the inclusion of trimethoxybenzyl-azaphosphatrane in the macrocycle cucurbit-[8]uril (CB[8]) affords molecular porous host•guest crystals (PHGC-1) with radically new properties. Unactivated hydrated PHGC-1 adsorbed iodine spontaneously and selectively at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The absence of (i) heat for material synthesis, (ii) moisture sensitivity, and (iii) energy-intensive steps for pore activation are attractive attributes for decreasing the energy costs. 1 H NMR and DOSY were instrumental for monitoring the H 2 O/I 2 exchange. PHGC-1 crystals are non-centrosymmetric and I 2-doped crystals showed markedly different second harmonic generation (SHG), which suggests that iodine doping could be used to modulate the non-linear optical properties of porous organic crystals.

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