Improvement of the Proton Conduction of Copper(II)-Mesoxalate Metal–Organic Frameworks by Strategic Selection of the Counterions

[Image: see text] Three copper(II)/mesoxalate-based MOFs with formulas (H(3)O)[Cu(9)(Hmesox)(6)(H(2)O)(6)Cl]·8H(2)O (1), (NH(2)Me(2))(0.4)(H(3)O)(0.6)[Cu(9)(Hmesox)(6)(H(2)O)(6)Cl]·8H(2)O (2), and (enH(2))(0.25)(enH)(1.5)[Cu(6)(Hmesox)(3)(mesox)(H(2)O)(6)Cl(0.5)]Cl(0.5)·5.25H(2)O (3) were synthesized (H(4)mesox = mesoxalic acid = 2,2-dihydroxypropanedioic acid, en = ethylenediamine). Essentially, all of the compounds display the same anionic network with a different arrangement of the cations, which have a remarkable effect on the proton conduction of the materials, ranging from 1.16 × 10(–4) S cm(–1) for 1 to 1.87 × 10(–3) S cm(–1) for 3 (at 80 °C and 95% RH). These compounds also display antiferromagnetic coupling among the copper(II) ions through both the carboxylate and alkoxido bridges. The values of the principal magnetic coupling constants were calculated by density functional theory (DFT), leading to congruent values that confirm the predominant antiferromagnetic nature of the interactions.