Metal–organic frameworks with multicomponents in order

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are ideal reticulated space architectures in which well-defined building units with designed functionalities could be precisely positioned in an ordered way. Incorporating multicomponents into MOFs generates crystalline solids with multiple functionalities and tailored pore environments. Intriguing properties and sophisticated functions are expected to emerge owing to the synergies between multiple components. In this review, we provide an overview of recent progress in the discoveries of MOFs with multiple inorganic building units and/or organic linkers. We summarized strategies to introduce multiple organic linkers with different linker geometry, length, size, and coordinating moiety. We also highlight several representative approaches to construct multiple inorganic units for the framework assemblies. These ternary and quaternary MOFs represent a high level of structural complexity in crystalline solids.