Tuning CO2 Uptake and Reversible Iodine Adsorption in Two Isoreticular MOFs through Ligand Functionalization

The synthesis and characterization of two isoreticular metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), {[Cd(bdc)(4‐bpmh)]}n⋅2 n(H2O) (1) and {[Cd(2‐NH2bdc)(4‐bpmh)]}n⋅2 n(H2O) (2) [bdc=benzene dicarboxylic acid; 2‐NH2bdc=2‐amino benzene dicarboxylic acid; 4‐bpmh=N,N‐bis‐pyridin‐4‐ylmethylene‐hydrazine], are reported. Both compounds possess similar two‐fold interpenetrated 3D frameworks bridged by dicarboxylates and a 4‐bpmh linker. The 2D Cd‐dicarboxylate layers are extended along the a‐axis to form distorted square grids which are further pillared by 4‐bpmh linkers to result in a 3D pillared‐bilayer interpenetrated framework. Gas adsorption studies demonstrate that the amino‐functionalized MOF 2 shows high selectivity for CO2 (8.4 wt % 273 K and 7.0 wt % 298 K) over CH4, and the uptake amounts are almost double that of non‐functional MOF 1. Iodine (I2) adsorption studies reveal that amino‐functionalized MOF 2 exhibits a faster I2 adsorption rate and controlled delivery of I2 over the non‐functionalized homolog 1. Quick on the uptake: Two isoreticular CdII based micro‐porous interpenetrated metal–organic frameworks are reported, which show significant CO2 uptake at room temperature, selectivity over methane, and reversible I2 capture and release. It has been revealed that the presence of additional polar functional group increase the proficiency of the MOF as adsorbent.