Two new MOFs denoted as M-CAU-24 (M = Zr, Ce) based on 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene (H4TCPB) were obtained under mild reaction conditions within 15 min. The MOFs with composition [M6(μ3-O)4(μ3-OH)4(OH)4(H2O)4(TCPB)2] crystallise in the scu topology, a connectivity hitherto unreported for Zr-MOFs with tetracarboxylate linker molecules. Zr-CAU-24 exhibits UV/blue ligand-based luminescence.