Single-Crystal to Single-Crystal Phase Transition and Segmented Thermochromic Luminescence in a Dynamic 3D Interpenetrated AgI Coordination Network

A new 3D AgI-based coordination network, [Ag2(pz)­(bdc)·H2O]n (1; pz = pyrazine and H2bdc = benzene-1,3-dicarboxylic acid), was constructed by one-pot assembly and structurally established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction at different temperatures. Upon cooling from 298 to 93 K, 1 undergo an interesting single-crystal to single-crystal phase transition from orthorhombic Ibca (Z = 16) to Pccn (Z = 32) at around 148 K. Both phases show a rare 2-fold-interpenetrated 4-connected lvt network but incorporate different [Ag2(COO)2] dimeric secondary building units. It is worth mentioning that complex 1 shows red- and blue-shifted luminescences in the 290–170 and 140–80 K temperature ranges, respectively. The variable-temperature single-crystal X-ray crystallographic studies suggest that the argentophilic interactions and rigidity of the structure dominated the luminescence chromism trends at the respective temperature ranges. Upon being mechanically ground, 1 exhibits a slight mechanoluminescence red shift from 589 to 604 nm at 298 K.