Tunable morphology and the changeable catalytic property of layered scandium coordination polymer

Sc-CP 1, 1A, 1B and 1C with controllable morphologies were successfully synthesized by the conventional hydrothermal method and microwave (MW) assisted hydrothermal method. 1 was macroscopic, 1A was nano sized, while 1B and 1C were micron sized. Sc-CP 1 showed two-dimensional (2D) layered structure which was constructed from the connections of left- and right-hand helical chains. Catalytic experiments showed the catalytic performances of Sc-CP 1, 1A, 1B and 1C for the cyanosilylation reaction of aromatic aldehydes were dependent on the morphologies of the particles. Flower-ball-like 1C featuring a high concentration of Lewis acidic Sc(III) sites on its exposed external surfaces showed better catalytic activity than others, the best constant rate of which was 6.4 ​× ​10−3 min−1.