Three-Dimensional Large-Pore Covalent Organic Framework with stp Topology

Three-dimensional (3D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are excellent crystalline porous polymers for numerous potential applications, but their building units and topological nets have been limited. Herein we report the design and synthesis of the first 3D large-pore COF with the stp topology constructed from a 6-connected triptycene-based monomer. The new COF (termed JUC-564) has a high specific surface area (up to 3300 m² g^-1), the largest pore size among 3D COFs (43 Å), and record-breaking low density among crystalline materials reported to date (0.108 g cm^-3). The large pore size of JUC-564 was confirmed by the incorporation of a protein. This study expands the structural varieties of 3D COFs based on the deliberate symmetry-guided design principle as well as their applications for adsorption and separation of large biological molecules.