Bilayer architecture based on hexanuclear heterometal cluster units

The first bilayer architecture based on the hexanuclear heterometal cluster units [EuCu^II₂Cu^I(μ₃-OH)(μ- OH)L₄(ClO₄)(H₂O)]·ClO ₄·3H₂O (1, L = 4-pyridin-4-yl-benzoate), was hydrothermally made and characterized. One prominent feature is that the nodes are heterometal hexanuclear clusters (Eu^III₂Cu ^II₄) rather than mono-metal ions, in which the heterometal clusters are in a "head-to-head" arrangement. Another feature is the linkages between the monolayers: instead of the generally used organic linkers, the linkers here are [Cu^IL₂] motifs. Moreover, their orientation is opposite: the organic linkers in the literature are approximately vertical to the monolayers, while the [Cu^IL₂] motifs here are parallel to the monolayers. Charge balance is achieved by both non-coordinating and coordinating ClO₄^- anions. This journal is