Highly stable and sensitive LnMOF ratiometric thermometers constructed with mixed ligands.

The mixed-lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (M'LnMOFs) applied for accurate, non-invasive and self-reference temperature measurements have been only recently recognized. It is a great challenge for chemists to fulfil the requirements of a thermostable structure, intense luminescence and high temperature sensitivity on one LnMOF ratiometric thermometer for thermometric applications. By choosing 2,4-(2,2':6',2''-terpyridin-4'-yl)-benzenedisulfonic acid (H2DSTP) as the first ligand and changing the ancillary ligand to oxalic acid (OA) or 1,4-benzene dicarboxylic acid (BDC), we have successfully developed two types of highly stable and sensitive thermometers [Tb1-xEux(OA)0.5(DSTP)]·3H2O and [Tb1-xEux(BDC)0.5(DSTP)]·2H2O (x = 0.01, 0.02) that in addition exhibit brilliant luminescence over a wide temperature range, providing a new strategy to explore luminescence-based M'LnMOF thermometers.