Interface construction in microporous metal–organic frameworks from luminescent terbium-based building blocks

Interfaces between the pores and the skeletons in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) define the places where the materials interact with the incoming guests, and constructing functionalized interfaces in MOFs is crucial for various applications. In this report, by using the platform of the well-known terbium-based 12-connected building units, four isoreticular MOFs, FDM-34-37, with fcu-a topology in single crystal form were obtained with linear organic linkers featuring diversified edge lengths (from 17.4 to 23.8 Å) and functionalities (naphthalene, bipyridine, stilbene, and rotatable triphenyl rings). With the surface areas of up to 1850 m2 g-1, these MOFs feature distinct pores with fine-tuned sizes. Furthermore, the relationship between the luminescence originated from the terbium, and the energy transfer between the metals and the linkers on the interfaces were carefully investigated. With characteristic luminescence and potentially active sites from both the metals and the linkers, these MOFs show prospects in various applications.