Zn-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks Using Triptycene Hexacarboxylate Ligands: Synthesis, Structure, and Gas-Sorption Properties.

A series of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) based on zinc ions and two triptycene ligands of different size have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Structural analyses revealed that they are isostructural 3D-network MOFs. The high porosity and thermal stability of these MOFs can be attributed to the highly rigid triptycene-based ligands. Their BET specific surface areas depend on the size of the triptycene ligands. In contrast to these surface-area data, the H and CO adsorption of these MOFs is larger for MOFs with small pores. Consequently, we introduced functional groups to the bridge-head position of the triptycene ligands and investigated their effect on the gas-sorption properties. The results unveiled the role of the functional groups in the specific CO binding via an induced interaction between adsorbates and the functional groups. Excellent H and CO properties in these MOFs were achieved in the absence of open metal sites.