This mini review summarizes recent advances in experimental thermodynamics of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Taking advantage of the development in mechanochemistry, near-room temperature solution calorimetry, and low-temperature heat capacity measurements, the energetic landscape, entropy trends, and Gibbs free energy evolutions of MOFs with true polymorphism [Zn(MeIm)2, Zn(EtIm)2, and Zn(CF3Im)2] as framework topology varies were thoroughly explored by integrated calorimetric and computational methodologies. In addition, the formation enthalpies of MOFs with ultrahigh porosity (MOF-177 and UMCM-1) and the simplest structure (metal formates) have been determined. The studies summarized below highlight the complex interplays among interrelated compositional, chemical, and topological (structural) factors in the determination of the thermodynamic parameters of MOFs.

Porphyrinic compounds are of increasing interest to the materials science community, yet little attention has been paid to crystallographically controlled voids and channels in these materials. We have conducted an initial survey of the voids and channels in a random subset of 1000 porphyrinic compounds with known crystal structures. From calculations using a rolling-probe subroutine, we have found that about 5% of these compounds have line-of-sight channels, which differ in their topology depending on the crystallography. A small but significant number of porphyrinic compounds have calculated void contents of >25 volume %. We discuss in detail the void and channel characteristics, including pore-size distribution, of four representative compounds, with technological implications.

Additional crystallographic data are given for the recently reported mineral middlebackite, which has been described for discoveries at Iron Knob in South Australia and Passo di San Lugano near Trento, Italy. The material examined in the present study was from a third finding of the mineral, viz. from a quartz outcrop at Mooloo Downs Station in Western Australia within which it was co-located with the chemically- and structurally-related mineral moolooite, CuIIC2O4·nH2O, reported by Clarke and Williams (1986). In this study, the crystal structure was elucidated independently of the other studies using a combination of the a priori charge flipping and simulated annealing methods with synchrotron radiation diffraction (SRD) powder data. The principal crystal data for the Mooloo Downs material are: space group P21/c with lattice parameters a = 7.2659(18) Å, b = 5.7460(11) Å, c = 5.6806(11) Å, β = 104.588(3)°; Vc = 229.46(18) Å3; empirical formula CuII2C2O4(OH)2 with 2 formula units per unit cell; and calculated density = 3.605 g cm−3. The lattice parameters agree approximately with values given for the other studies, but not within the reported error estimates. The atom coordinates, interatomic distances, and angles for the Mooloo Downs material are compared with those from the other studies using single crystal data, with the values from all three studies agreeing approximately, but again not within the reported uncertainties. The crystal chemistry found for middlebackite received strong confirmation through the synthesis for the first time of di-copper oxalate di-hydroxide. Laboratory X-ray diffraction powder data for the synthetic form of the mineral from this study agree closely with the SRD data for the natural mineral.

3-[1-[4-(2-Methylpropyl)phenyl]ethyl]-6-(4-fluorophenyl)-1,2,4-triazolo[3,4-b]-1,3,4-thiadiazole (C21H21FN4S) has been synthesized as a member of a series of triazolothiadiazoles having NSAIDs moieties with cytotoxic activity. The crystal structure of this new compound has been solved and refined using conventional laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional techniques. The final structure solution was achieved by Rietveld refinement using soft restraints on all non-H atom bond lengths and angles. This compound crystallizes in $P\bar{1}\;$ space group, with the unit cell parameters a = 5.5880(4) Å, b = 9.3074(7) Å, c = 19.497(4) Å, α = 99.311(10)°, β = 91.925(9)°, γ = 98.199(6)°, and V = 988.8(2) Å3. To complement and verify the structure solution of the compound, the density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed by using the local density approximation and the generalized gradient approximation for exchange-correlation energy. In order to see the effect of the van der Waals interactions on the electronic structure, the relevant structure was also optimized with B3LYP-D2, PBE-D2, and optB88-vdW functionals. The refined crystal structure was confirmed by the DFT calculations. The best agreement with the experimental structure was achieved by optB88-vdW functional.

Structure and optical properties have been successfully determined for a series of niobium- and tantalum-containing layered alkaline-earth silicate compounds, Ba3(Nb6−xTax)Si4O26 (x = 0.6, 1.8, 3.0, 4.2, 5.4). The structure of this solid solution was found to be hexagonal P-62m (No. 189), with Z = 1. With x increases from 0.6 to 5.4, the lattice parameter a increases from 8.98804(8) to 9.00565(9) Å and c decreases from 7.83721(10) to 7.75212(12) Å. As a result, the volume decreases from 548.304(11) to 544.479(14) Å3. The (Nb/Ta)O6 distorted octahedra form continuous chains along the c-axis. These (Nb/Ta)O6 chains are in turn linked with the Si2O7 groups to form distorted pentagonal channels in which Ba ions were found. These Ba2+ ions have full occupancy and a 13-fold coordination environment with neighboring oxygen sites. Another salient feature of the structure is the linear Si–O–Si chains. When x in Ba3(Nb6−xTax)Si4O26 increases, the bond valence sum (BVS) values of the Ba sites increase slightly (2.09–2.20), indicating the size of the cage becoming progressively smaller (over-bonding). While SiO cages are also slightly smaller than ideal (BVS range from 4.16 to 4.19), the (Nb/Ta)O6 octahedral cages are slightly larger than ideal (BVS range from 4.87 to 4.90), giving rise to an under-bonding situation. The bandgaps of the solid solution members were measured between 3.39 and 3.59 eV, and the x = 3.0 member was modeled by density functional theory techniques to be 3.07 eV. The bandgaps of these materials indicate that they are potential candidates for ultraviolet photocatalyst.

Crystal structure and electronic structure of YMnO3 were investigated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy related techniques. According to the density of states (DOS), the individual interband transitions to energy loss peaks in the low energy loss spectrum were assigned. The hybridization of O 2p with Mn 3d and Y 4d analyzed by the partial DOS was critical to the ferroelectric nature of YMnO3. From the simulation of the energy loss near-edge structure, the fine structure of O K-edge was in good agreement with the experimental spectrum. The valence state of Mn (+3) in YMnO3 was determined by a comparison between experiment and calculations.

We report the dielectric properties of ACu3Ti4O12 (A = Eu2/3, Tb2/3, and Na1/2Eu1/2) (ACTO) in the frequency range of 40 Hz–2.5 MHz and in the temperature range of 293–473 K. The experimental results show that substituting for Ca improves the loss tangent of CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO). Although the dielectric constants largely decrease, they remain at a high level of 103. To identify the observed dielectric performances of ACTO, scanning electron microscopy and complex impedance measurements were conducted. The conducting mechanism for the grain of ACTO was found to be ion jumping rather than electron hopping (for the grain of CCTO). The results show that the decreased dielectric constant may be related to the decreased grain size, the different carrier in the grain, the different grain boundary properties, or a combination of these factors. All these factors are associated with the deficiency of oxygen vacancies in the samples of ACTO. The decreased loss tangent may be due to the increase in the grain boundary resistance.

The ICDD's Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®) is a database of inorganic and organic diffraction data used for phase identification and materials characterization by powder diffraction. The PDF has been available for over 75 years and finds application in X-ray, synchrotron, electron, and neutron diffraction analyses. With entries based on powder and single crystal data, the PDF is the only crystallographic database where every entry is editorially reviewed and marked with a quality mark that alerts the user to the reliability/quality of the submitted data. The editorial processes of ICDD's quality management system are unique in that they are ISO 9001:2015 certified. Initially offered as text on paper cards and books, the PDF evolved to a computer-readable database in the 1960s and today is both computer and web accessible. With data mining and phase identification software available in PDF products, and the databases’ compatibility with vendor (third party) software, the 1 000 000+ published PDF entries serve a wide range of disciplines covering academic, industrial, and government laboratories. Details describing the content of database entries are presented to enhance the use of the PDF.

The crystal structure of metolazone has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional techniques. Metolazone crystallizes in space group P-1 (#2) with a = 8.1976(5), b = 14.4615(69), c = 16.0993(86) Å, α = 115.009(18), β = 90.096(7), γ = 106.264(4)°, V = 1644.52(9) Å3, and Z = 4. The broad (02-1) peak at 3.42° 2θ indicates stacking faults along this direction. The crystal structure consists of alternating polar and hydrocarbon layers parallel to the ac-plane. Only one of the sulfonamide groups acts as a hydrogen bond donor. Both ring nitrogen atoms act as hydrogen bond donors, but one forms an N–H···N hydrogen bond, while the other participates in an N–H···O bond. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™, to replace entry 00-066-1624.

The crystal structure of prednicarbate has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data, and optimized using density functional techniques. Prednicarbate crystallizes in space group P212121 (#19) with a = 7.69990(3), b = 10.75725(3), c = 31.36008(11) Å, V = 2597.55(1) Å3, and Z = 4. In the crystal structure the long axis of the steroid ring system lies roughly parallel to the c-axis. The oxygenated side chains are orientated roughly perpendicular to the steroid ring system and are adjacent to each other, parallel to the ab-plane. The only traditional hydrogen bond donor in the prednicarbate molecule is the hydroxyl group O32–H33, but this does not participate in an O–H···O hydrogen bond. The nearest oxygen atoms to O32 are symmetry-related O32 at 4.495 Å, precluding the expected O–H···O hydrogen bond. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™.

The crystal structure of cloxacillin sodium monohydrate has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional techniques. Cloxacillin sodium monohydrate crystallizes in space group P212121 (#19) with a = 7.989 36(12), b = 10.918 09(10), c = 25.559 3(6) Å, V = 2229.50(5) Å3, and Z = 4. The crystal structure is characterized by corner-sharing chains of irregular NaO5 polyhedra along the a-axis. The carboxylate group chelates to the Na and bridges two Na cations. The coordination sphere is completed by the water molecule and a carbonyl group. The Na–O bonds are mostly ionic but have some covalent character. The bond valence sum of the Na is 1.14. The water molecule acts as a donor to the carboxylate group and a carbonyl oxygen. It is an acceptor in C–H⋯O hydrogen bonds from a methyl group and a ring carbon. The crystal structure of cloxacillin sodium monohydrate is very similar to that of the fluorinated derivative (CSD Refcode BEBCAM), reflecting the similarity of the lattice parameters. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™.

The crystal structure of cefprozil monohydrate has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional techniques. Cefprozil monohydrate crystallizes in space group P21 (#4) with a = 11.26513(6), b = 11.34004(5), c = 14.72649(11) Å, β = 90.1250(4)°, V = 1881.262(15) Å3, and Z = 4. Although a reasonable fit was obtained using an orthorhombic model, closer examination showed that many peaks were split and/or had shoulders, and thus the true symmetry was monoclinic. DFT calculations revealed that one carboxylic acid proton moved to an amino group. The structure thus contains one ion pair and one pair of neutral molecules. This protonation was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. There is an extensive array of hydrogen bonds resulting in a three-dimensional network. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™.

The crystal structure of atropine sulfate monohydrate has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional techniques. Atropine sulfate monohydrate crystallizes in space group P21/n (#14) with a = 19.2948(5), b = 6.9749(2), c = 26.9036(5) Å, β = 94.215(2)°, V = 3610.86(9) Å3, and Z = 4. Each of the two independent protonated nitrogen atoms participates in a strong hydrogen bond to the sulfate anion. Each of the two independent hydroxyl groups acts as a donor in a hydrogen bond to the sulfate anion, but only one of the water molecule hydrogen atoms acts as a hydrogen bond donor to the sulfate anion. The hydrogen bonds are all discrete but link the cations, anion, and water molecule along [101]. Although atropine and hyoscyamine (atropine is racemic hyoscyamine) crystal structures share some features, such as hydrogen bonding and phenyl–phenyl packing, the powder patterns show that the structures are very different. The powder pattern for atropine sulfate monohydrate has been submitted to ICDD for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™.