Multifunctional Metal-Organic Frameworks with Fluorescent Sensing and Selective Adsorption Properties

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted great attention in the past years due to their diverse structures as well as interesting properties. However, MOFs with multifunctionality are still challenging. Under solvothermal conditions, reactions of 1,3,5-tris(1-imidazolyl)benzene (tib) and 4,4',4″-benzene-1,3,5-triyl-tribenzoic acid (HBTB) with Cd(II) salt give rise to two novel MOFs [Cd(tib)(BTB)]·3DEF·4.5HO (1) and [Cd(tib)(BTB)(DMA)(HO)]·2DMA·8HO (2) (DEF = N,N-diethylformamide, DMA = N,N-dimethylacetamide) with three-dimensional framework structures. It is fascinating that 1 and 2 not only show unique selectivity for detection of acetone through fluorescence quenching mechanism but also exhibit selective adsorption of gas (CO over N at 298 K) and dye (methyl orange) molecules.