Rational Design of a Bifunctional, Two-Fold Interpenetrated ZnII -Metal-Organic Framework for Selective Adsorption of CO2 and Efficient Aqueous Phase Sensing of 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol.

A bifunctional, microporous ZnII metal-organic framework, [Zn2 (NH2 BDC)2 (dpNDI)]n (MOF1) (where, NH2 BDC=2-aminoterephthalic acid, dpNDI=N,N'-di(4-pyridyl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenediimide) has been synthesized solvothermally. MOF1 shows an interesting two-fold interpenetrated, 3D pillar-layered framework structure composed of two types of 1D channels with dimensions of approximately 2.99×3.58 Å and 4.58×5.38 Å decorated with pendent -NH2 groups. Owing to the presence of a basic functionalized pore surface, MOF1 exhibits selective adsorption of CO2 with high value of heat of adsorption (Qst =46.5 kJ mol-1 ) which is further supported by theoretically calculated binding energy of 48.4 kJ mol-1 . Interestingly, the value of Qst observed for MOF1 is about 10 kJ mol-1 higher than that of analogues MOF with the benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid (BDC) ligand, which establishes the critical role of the -NH2 group for CO2 capture. Moreover, MOF1 exhibits highly selective and sensitive sensing of the nitroaromatic compound (NAC), 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) over other competing NACs through a luminescence quenching mechanism. The observed selectivity for TNP over other nitrophenols has been correlated to stronger hydrogen bonding interaction of TNP with the basic -NH2 group of MOF1, which is revealed from DFT calculations. To the best of our knowledge, MOF1 is the first example of an interpenetrated ZnII -MOF exhibiting selective adsorption of CO2 as well as efficient aqueous-phase sensing of TNP; investigated through combined experimental and theoretical studies.