Monitoring the Activation of a Flexible Metal-Organic Framework Using Structurally Sensitive Spectroscopy Techniques

A flexible metal-organic framework (MOF) comprised of Co(II) ions and 4,4'-oxybis(benzoic acid) linkers undergoes notable structure rearrangements upon removal of the metal-coordinated water molecules through activation. Two complementary structurally sensitive methods, X-ray absorption and Raman spectroscopy, are used to build a composite picture of the MOF activation process by revealing both the substantial local structural changes about the Co sites and the more subtle rearrangements of the organic linkers that are not apparent through standard powder X-ray diffraction studies.