Pore space partition by symmetry-matching regulated ligand insertion and dramatic tuning on carbon dioxide uptake.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with the highest CO(2) uptake capacity are usually those equipped with open metal sites. Here we seek alternative strategies and mechanisms for developing high-performance CO(2) adsorbents. We demonstrate that through a ligand insertion pore space partition strategy, we can create crystalline porous materials (CPMs) with superior CO(2) uptake capacity. Specifically, a new material, CPM-33b-Ni without any open metal sites, exhibits the CO(2) uptake capacity comparable to MOF-74 with the same metal (Ni) at 298 K and 1 bar.