This thesis concerns the design, synthesis and characterisation of flexible and rigid bis-pyridyl ligands known as N,N'-bis-pyridin-3-ylmethylene-benzene-1,4-diamine (aL), N,N'-bis-pyridin-3-ylmethyl-benzene-1,4-diamine (L1), N,N'-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethylene-benzene-1,4-diamine (bL), N,N'-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-benzene-1,4-diamine (L2), N,N'-bis(4-pyridinylmethylene)-2,5-dimethylbenzene-1,4-diamine (cL) and N,N'-bis(4-pyridinylmethyl)-2,5-dimethylbenzene-1,4-diamine (L3). Besides, the self-assembly process of new L1, L3 or the reported L2 with Mn(II), Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) or Cd(II) metal ions to produce a series of novel homoleptic coordination polymers and metal-organic frameworks. On the other hand, the self-assembly process of rigid dicarboxylic acid linkers such as, benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid, isophthalic acid or 4,4′-biphenyldicarboxylic acid with L1 or L3 and Co(II) or Cd(II) metal ions produced a series of new heteroleptic metal-organic frameworks. Furthermore, L3 ligand heteroleptic MOFs with Co(II) ion and benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid or 4,4′-biphenyldicarboxylic acid showed high thermal stability up to 450 °C, solvent exchange properties, high hydrogen gas uptake of 4.77 or 6.225 mmol/g and high ethanol uptakes of 97.16 or 91.36 cm3/g respectively.
