Synthesis, Structure, and Clathration Ability of the Microporous Three‐Dimensional Coordination Polymer ∞ 3 [{CuCN(4,4′‐bpy)} · 2(4,4′‐bpy)]

The respectively yellow and red coordination polymers $^{\;\,2}_\infty$ [(CuCN) 2 (μ‐4,4′‐bpy)] ( 1 ) and $^{\;\,3}_\infty$ [{CuCN(μ‐4,4′‐bpy)} · 2(4,4′‐bpy)] ( 2 ) (4,4′‐bpy = 4,4′‐bipyridine) may be prepared by self‐assembly of CuCN and 4,4′‐bpy at the appropriate molar ratio in acetonitrile solution at 100 °C. In 1 infinite CuCN chains are linked by 4,4′‐bpy ligands into lamellar polymers which exhibit short Cu…C(N) contacts of 2.41(1) Å between one of the crystallographically independent copper atoms and cyanide carbon atoms of a neighbouring corrugated sheet. At a molar ratio of CuCN : 4,4′‐bpy below 2 : 3, the heteroaromatic ligands also adopt a structure‐directing role to afford 3 , in which $^{\;\,2}_\infty$ [(CuCN) 2 (μ‐4,4′‐bpy)] sheets are now joined by additional bridging 4,4′‐bpy spacer molecules to provide a three‐dimensional framework, whose nanometer‐sized channels (12.76 × 13.12 Å) accomodate two noncoordinated 4,4′‐bpy guest molecules. A DTA/TGA trace demonstrates that these can be removed in two steps at 150 and 176 °C.