An exceptionally stable, porphyrinic Zr metal-organic framework exhibiting pH-dependent fluorescence

J Am Chem Soc. 2013 Sep 18;135(37):13934-8. doi: 10.1021/ja406844r. Epub 2013 Sep 6.

Abstract

A reaction between a Zr(IV) salt and a porphyrinic tetracarboxylic acid leads to a metal-organic framework (MOF) with two types of open channels, representing a MOF featuring a (4,8)-connected sqc net. The MOF remains intact in both boiling water and aqueous solutions with pH ranging from 1 to 11, a remarkably extensive pH range that a MOF can sustain. Given its exceptional stability and pH-dependent fluorescent intensity, the MOF can potentially be applied in fluorescent pH sensing.