Synthesis, Structural Characterizations, and Electrochemical Properties of Two Copper Coordination Polymers

Abstract

ABSTRACT The copper‐malonate coordination polymers [K 2 Cu(mal) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ] n (1) and [Cu(mal)(DMF)] n (2) (mal = dianion of malonic acid) were synthesized using a straightforward method at two different pH settings. The compounds were structurally investigated (XRD, FTIR, UV–visible, TGA, SEM/EDS, and XPS) and showed high crystallinity and purity with discrete morphologies and coordination geometries. Cyclic voltammetry demonstrated that the Cu 2+ centers remained accessible, exhibiting the redox couplings Cu 2+ /Cu + and Cu + /Cu 0 . The processes were found to be irreversible, controlled by diffusion and charge transfer, and exhibited a small capacitive current, indicating a low internal resistance. According to diffusion and charge transfer coefficient analyses, the electron mobility was higher in [Cu(mal)(DMF)] n than in [K 2 Cu(mal) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ] n . Overall, these findings show that both compounds have structural stability and efficient electroactivity, making them potential candidates for electrocatalysis and energy storage/conversion.