Building Light-Emitting Metal-Organic Frameworks by Post-Synthetic Modification

Ln3+-bearing Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are attracting much attention because of their unique luminescence properties and the possibility of fine-tuning the metal coordination spheres by post-synthetic modification (PSM). Here, we report PSM of the well-known IRMOF-3 by reaction with methyl 3-chloro-3-oxopropanoate and pyridine-2,6-dicarbonyl dichloride affording, respectively, IRMOF-3-CM and IRMOF-3-PY. 1H NMR of the digested modified samples showed ca. 100 % conversion of the amino group. The pendant groups of PSM IRMOF-3 were subsequently used to coordinate Eu+3 and Tb3+ and the luminescence properties of the materials studied.