Metal-Formate Framework Stiffening and Its Relevance to Phase Transition Mechanism

In the last decade, one of the most widely examined compounds of motal-organic frameworks was undoubtedly ((CH(3))(2)NH(2))(Zn(HCOO)(3)), but the problem of the importance of framework dynamics in the order–disorder phase change of the mechanism has not been fully clarified. In this study, a combination of temperature-dependent dielectric, calorimetric, IR, and Raman measurements was used to study the impact of ((CH(3))(2)NH(2))(Zn(DCOO)(3)) formate deuteration on the phase transition mechanism in this compound. This deuteration led to the stiffening of the metal-formate framework, which in turn caused an increase in the phase transition temperature by about 5 K. Interestingly, the energetic ordering of DMA(+) cations remained unchanged compared to the non-deuterated compound.