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

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 Zn-II 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.