A Self-Catenated Metal–Organic Framework with Asymmetric Linkers and Its Adsorption of Furaltadone Antibiotic

As a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent, furaltadone is widely used in various sterilization fields. They are easily excreted into wastewater, resulting in bioaccumulation and posing risks to the local environment. In this work, a new metal-organic framework (MOF) with a previously unreported self-catenated net feature was synthesized using an asymmetric linker to remove the furaltadone antibiotic from aqueous media. The distinctive ring arrangement within the network is guided by the highly unsymmetrical organic linker, while strong hydrogen bonds between neighboring building units provide additional stabilization to this structure. Boasting high surface area and large pore volume, the MOF with self-entanglement strongly interacts with furaltadone molecules via prominent interaction sites. Highly efficient removal of furaltadone under neutral conditions with rapid uptake, high capacity (95.1% adsorption rate and up to 278.6 mg g⁻¹ maximum monolayer capacity) and cyclability was achieved. These attributes establish the presented MOF as a promising adsorbent for mitigating antibiotic contamination in environmental remediation.