A luminescent metal-organic framework for sensing methanol in ethanol solution

Abstract

A new luminescent Zn-MOF has been synthesized under hydrothermal condition using a semi-rigid ligand H3pcoip (4-(2-carboxyphenoxy)isophthalic acid) is reported. The luminescence properties of 1 in methanol, ethanol, and water have been investigated. Interestingly, compound 1 has a unique response to methanol compared to ethanol and water. Moreover, 1 displays a turn-on switching property triggered by methanol solvent molecules and a high sensitivity towards methanol concentration as low as 2 × 10-7 (VMeOH/Vtotal) in ethanol solution. The results indicate that the Zn-MOF has potential application as a sensor for detecting methanol in ethanol solution with excellent selectivity and high sensitivity. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.