The origin of luminescence of MOFs can be tuned from metal-based emissions to guest-based emissions and linker-based emissions. For the linker-based emissions, tetraphenylethene (TPE)-based linker has attracted increasing attention owing to its aggregation-induced emission behavior. A TPE-based linker para-ETTC was used to construct a zirconium MOF that possesses an interpenetrated structure and displays a yellow-green ligand-based emission. The luminescence of this MOF material could be tuned through post-synthetic linker installation. The linker insertion expanded the connectivity of the zirconium cluster from eight to fourteen. The inserted linkers not only changed the connectivity of the zirconium cluster but also shifted the photoluminescence dramatically. In another case, we have synthesized a low symmetry linker, meta-ETTC, to study the linker symmetry effects on the structure and luminescence of resulting materials. We have not been able to obtain any zirconium MOFs based on the meta-ETTC linker, probably because of the low symmetry. Interestingly, when M2+ (Zn2+, Cu2+, and Cd2+) metals were used, several structures were obtained with the meta-ETTC linker. Most of the materials obtained are nonporous, but they possess unique structures and photoluminescent properties. We have also obtained interesting structures with other metal ions. The structure and photoluminescent properties will be discussed.

Structures and properties of tetraphenylethene-based coordination polymers

ACS Spring 2022

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