A (4,6)-c copper–organic framework constructed from triazole-inserted dicarboxylate linker with CO2 selective adsorption

Angular ligands are a class of important linkers to design and construct new metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Herein, solvothermal reaction of 4,4′-(4H-1,2,4-triazole-3,5-diyl)dibenzoic acid (TZDB), a triazole-inserted dicarboxylate, acetate, and Cu(NO3)2·3H2O afforded a copper(ii)-organic framework of Cu-TZDB. Structural analysis shows that Cu-TZDB displays an unusual (4,6)-c topological network concomitant with the generation of metalloligand [Cu(TZDB)(H2O)2] in situ. Due to its bi-channel cavities replete with triazolate, coordinated water and methyl groups, Cu-TZDB exhibits CO2 selective adsorption over N2 and CH4, which was not only predicted by ideal adsorption solution theory (IAST), but also verified by dynamic column breakthrough tests.