Methyl-functionalized Zn-MOF for selective adsorption and separation of acetylene

A new Zn-MOF, [Zn(bdc)0.5(mtrz)]·2 H2O (1) (H2bdc = terephthalic acid, Hmtrz = 3-methyl-1,2,4-triazole), with three dimensional (3D) framework was solvothermally synthesized, in which Zn ions and triazole form two-dimensional layer structure supported by dicharboxylic acid ligands between layers. MOF 1 displays high thermal stability as well as selective adsorption capacity for C2H2 over CO2 and CH4. Subsequently, dynamic breakthrough experiments showed that 1 could separate C2H2 from binary (C2H2/CH4 and C2H2/CO2) and ternary (C2H2/CO2/CH4) mixtures.