A versatile environmental control cell for in situ guest exchange single-crystal diffraction

In situ single-crystal diffraction experiments provide researchers with the opportunity to study the response of crystalline systems, including metal-organic frameworks and other nanoporous materials, to changing local microenvironments. This paper reports a new environmental control cell that is remarkably easy to use, completely reusable, and capable of delivering static or dynamic vacuum, liquids or gases to a single-crystal sample. Furthermore the device is nearly identical in size to standard single-crystal mounts so a full unrestricted range of motion is expected for most commercial goniometers. In situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments performed under dynamic gas-flow conditions revealed the cell was capable of stabilizing a novel metastable intermediate in the dehydration reaction of a previously reported metal-organic framework.