Redox-active porous metal-organic framework producing silver nanoparticles from Ag^I ions at room temperature

Hi ho silver! Coordination polymer chains assembled from a Ni^II hexaazamacrocycle and sodium 4,4′-biphenyldicarboxylate can be packed to form a porous framework (see picture). Nanocomposites of silver particles and matrix can be prepared by immersing the framework in AgNO₃ solution, and the matrix-free silver nanoparticles (≈3 nm) isolated by treatment of the solid with boiling dioctyl ether containing oleic acid.