M-MOF-74s were examined for potential applications in ethylene abatement and/or storage/delivery. Due to labile binding resulting from a Jahn-Teller distortion, Cu-MOF-74 exhibits a gradual initial uptake that, in turn, translates into the highest deliverable capacity among the MOFs examined (3.6 mmol g-1). In contrast, Co-MOF-74 is the most promising candidate for ethylene abatement due to the sharp uptake at low pressure.