Microporous Metal-Organic Framework with Lantern-like Dodecanuclear Metal Coordination Cages as Nodes for Selective Adsorption of C2/C1 Mixtures and Sensing of Nitrobenzene

A microporous metal-organic framework (FJU-12), {[Cd-12(Trz)(8)(DMF)(2)(H2O)(4)](BDC)(9)}.2(Me2NH2).4DMF.16H(2)O (Trz = 1,2,4-triazole, BDC = terephthalic acid, DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide), was rationally constructed using unprecedented lantern-like 1,2,4-triazole-based dodecanuclear metal coordination cages as supermolecular building blocks. After activation, FJU-12a exhibits highly selective adsorption of C-2 compound/CH4 mixtures and efficient sensing of nitrobenzene (NB). The selectivity (79.7) of C2H2/CH4 is comparable to the most selective Cu-TDPAT (82, TDPAT = 2,4,6-tris(3,5-dicarboxylphenylamino)-1,3,5-triazine).