Luminescence properties of mixed-ligand MOFs containing fluorene scaffolds functionalized with isonicotinoyl arms

Solvothermal reactions between three bis-pyridine-bis-amide ligands containing a fluorene scaffold bearing different substituents on the C9 position (CH2, 1; CMe2, 2; C[double bond, length as m-dash]O, 3) with 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (H2ndca) and Zn(NO3)2·6H2O led to the isolation of three new microporous mixed-ligand MOFs (PUM310, containing 1; PUM310Me2, containing 2; PUM310CO, containing 3). The structural characterization conducted with X-ray quality single crystals revealed parallel polycatenated frameworks of thick layers in all cases, corresponding to the topological type 5,6L18. The entangled nets contain complete and truncated Zn-paddle wheels. In the truncated paddle wheel, a pyridine of the bis-amide linker has been replaced by a DMF molecule. Solvent removal leads to framework rearrangement, as evidenced by XRPD analysis performed on desolvated PUM310, with consequent framework shrinkage as also evidenced by volumetric adsorption analyses. The three MOFs are fluorescent in the solid state. The optical spectra are indicative of a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) involving ndca2− as an excitation energy donor and the bis-pyridine linkers as acceptors, with a FRET efficiency close to 100% in the case of PUM310CO.