Synthesis and characterization of strontium 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate, [Sr3(1,3,5-BTC)2(H2O)4]·H2O

A three-dimensional strontium-based metal-organic framework was constructed using 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, [Sr3((OOC)3C6H3)2(H2O)4]·H2O. This new compound was synthesized hydrothermally and is a rare example of a strontium metal-organic network. The compound network contains three distinct Sr centers, one of which is seven-coordinate and the other two are nine-coordinate geometry. The benzene rings form a herring-bone type of arrangement down the a-axis. The material is thermally stable to ca. 230 °C and transforms to an unknown material before finally decomposing to phase-pure SrCO3 at 650 °C. The synthesis, structure, morphology and materials properties are discussed.