Clicked Isoreticular Metal-Organic Frameworks and Their High Performance in the Selective Capture and Separation of Large Organic Molecules

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2015-10, Vol.54 (43), p.12748-12752
• Main Authors: Li, Pei-Zhou, Wang, Xiao-Jun, Tan, Si Yu, Ang, Chung Yen, Chen, Hongzhong, Liu, Jia, Zou, Ruqiang, Zhao, Yanli
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accessibility; click chemistry; Construction; drug delivery; dye molecules; Dyes; Materials selection; Metal-organic frameworks; molecule capture; Networks; Porosity; Porous materials; Separation; Topology
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201504346

Three highly porous metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with a uniform rht‐type topological network but hierarchical pores were successfully constructed by the assembly of triazole‐containing dendritic hexacarboxylate ligands with ZnII ions. These transparent MOF crystals present gradually increasing pore sizes upon extension of the length of the organic backbone, as clearly identified by structural analysis and gas‐adsorption experiments. The inherent accessibility of the pores to large molecules endows these materials with unique properties for the uptake of large guest molecules. The visible selective adsorption of dye molecules makes these MOFs highly promising porous materials for pore‐size‐dependent large‐molecule capture and separation. Color me pretty: Highly porous metal–organic frameworks with uniform topological networks were constructed by isoreticular extension through click reactions. The accessibility of their pores to large molecules make them highly promising materials for size‐dependent large‐molecule capture and separation, as demonstrated visually by the selective capture of dye molecules (see picture; MeB=methylene blue, R6G=rhodamine 6G, BBR=brilliant blue R).