A Redox-Active Bistable Molecular Switch Mounted inside a Metal–Organic Framework

We describe the incorporation of a bi­stable mechanically inter­locked molecule (MIM) into a robust Zr-based metal–organic frame­work (MOF), NU-1000, by employing a post-synthetic functional­ization protocol. On average, close to two bi­stable [2]­catenanes can be incorporated per repeating unit of the hexagonal channels of NU-1000. The reversible redox-switching of the bi­stable [2]­catenanes is retained inside the MOF, as evidenced by solid-state UV-vis-NIR reflectance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. This research demonstrates that bi­stable MIMs are capable of exhibiting robust dynamics inside the nano­pores of a MOF.