Physics

Nanotechnology

Organic chemistry

Acetonitrile

Porosity

Crystallography

Crystal structure

Optics

Porous medium

Chemical physics

Composite material

Chemistry

Materials science

Programming language

Molecule

Computer science

Crystal (programming language)

Wedge (geometry)

Science

Here we report an anomalous porous molecular crystal built of C-H···N-bonded double-layered roof-floor components and wall components of a segregatively interdigitated architecture. This complicated porous structure consists of only one type of fully aromatic multijoint molecule carrying three identical dipyridylphenyl wedges. Despite its high symmetry, this molecule accomplishes difficult tasks by using two of its three wedges for roof-floor formation and using its other wedge for wall formation. Although a C-H···N bond is extremely labile, the porous crystal maintains its porosity until thermal breakdown of the C-H···N bonds at 202°C occurs, affording a nonporous polymorph. Though this nonporous crystal survives even at 325°C, it can retrieve the parent porosity under acetonitrile vapor. These findings show how one can translate simplicity into ultrahigh complexity.

Self-assembly of lattices with high structural complexity from a geometrically simple molecule