Influence of intramolecular interactions on carbon dioxide gas adsorption capacity in Mesoporous Imine polymers

Covalent organic Imine polymers with intrinsic meso-porosity were synthesized by condensation reaction between 4,4-diamino diphenyl methane and (para/meta/ortho)-phthaladehyde. Even though these polymers were synthesized from precursors of bis-bis covalent link mode, the bulk materials were micrometer size particles with intrinsic mesoporous enables nitrogen as well as carbon dioxide adsorption in the void spaces. These polymers were showed stability up to 260^o centigrade. Nitrogen gas adsorption capacity up to 250 cc/g in the ambient pressure was observed with type III adsorption characteristic nature. Carbon dioxide adsorption experiments reveal the possible terminal amine functional group to carbamate with CO₂ gas molecule to the polymers. One of the imine polymers, COP-3 showed more carbon dioxide sorption capacity and isosteric heat of adsorption (Q_st) than COP-1 and COP-2 at 273 K even though COP-3 had lower porosity for nitrogen gas than COP-1 and COP-2. We explained the trends in gas adsorption capacities and Qst values as a consequence of the intra molecular interactions confirmed by Density Functional Theory computational experiments on small molecular fragments.