**2.7. Porous molecular materials**

**Figure 11.** SEM micrographs of (a) as-prepared L0 phase, (b) L1 derived from L0 after heating, and (c) as-prepared L1

phase. The insets show a magnification of a selected area.

58 Advances in Petrochemicals

**Figure 12.** SEM micrograph of the as-prepared Ni-L0 phase.

The second family studied is similar to the Prussian blue materials. These materials are referred to as hexacyano-cobaltates (M3 [Co (CN) 6] 2xH2O); M: Mn, Ni, Co, Zn, Cd and Cu (see Figure 13). These materials form an interesting family with windows and pore volumes appropriate for the separation and storage of small molecules [32]. The synthesized material boasts of water molecules in pores formed, and these can be reversibly moved through the window without having some structural rearrangement in the material. The unitary formula specifies that six water molecules are coordinated to the material, and the remaining space is occupied by water molecules that are linked weakly by hydrogen bonds mainly.

**Figure 13.** Lattice porous materials under study. (a) Representation of cavity Zinc cobalticyanide. (b) Porous lattice of the cubic phase in cadmium cobalticyanide.

The characterization in this family is carried out to evaluate the material according to its ability to remain at the same level and with the same crystal structure once the water molecules between the cavities are removed, as well as to obtain the corresponding activation energy profiles during dehydration as necessary energy values for the rupture of the interaction. Thus, this provides an idea of the power required for a molecule to be hosted inside the material.
