Coordination-driven self-assembly of Cp*Rh-based rectangles in novel families of hetero-bimetallic metal-organic frameworks

The crystal and molecular structures of a series of structurally related 1,2,3-triazole-4,5-dicarboxylate (LHtzdc = 1,2,3-triazole-4,5-dicarboxylate) ligands for second metal ions were established via single-crystal X-ray structural analysis. [Cu (en)](2+) (en = ethylenediamine) was selected as a second metal ion, the two spare sites of the O atom from LHtzdc are coordinated to a single [Cu (en)](2+), and the [Cu (en)](2+) metal centres act as two outer pockets, which is an effective and innovative method of controlling the assembly of heterometallic cages.