A porous lanthanide metal-organic framework based on a flexible cyclotriphosphazene-functionalized hexacarboxylate exhibiting selective gas adsorption

Design and synthesis of robust porous lanthanide-based metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) from flexible organic ligands is currently a formidable task to chemists. In this work, a porous Ln-MOF based on a flexible cyclotriphosphazene-functionalized organic ligand, hexakis.4-carboxylatephenoxy) cyclotriphosphazene, has been solvothermally synthesized. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses show that the compound exhibits a three-dimensional structure built from rod-shaped secondary building units which are linked to each other through the organic ligands to form open frameworks with rectangular channels along the crystallographic a direction. Remarkably, although the flexible ligand was used, the Ln-MOF material after desolvation exhibited permanent porosity which has been established by various gas adsorption isotherms, displaying selective adsorption of C-2 hydrocarbons over CH4 at room temperature. This work presents a rare example of a permanently porous Ln-MOF based on a flexible ligand exhibiting selective gas adsorption behaviours.