Carbon Dioxide Capture by a Metal–Organic Framework with Nitrogen-Rich Channels Based on Rationally Designed Triazole-Functionalized Tetraacid Organic Linker

A semirigid tetraacid linker H4L functionalized with 1,2,3-triazole was rationally designed and synthesized to access nitrogen-rich MOFs for selective adsorption of CO2. The cadmium MOF, that is, Cd-L, obtained by the reaction of H4L with Cd(NO3)2, is found to be a 3D porous framework structure that is robust to desolvation. Crystal structure analysis reveals channels that are decorated by the triazole moieties of L. Gas adsorption studies show that Cd-L MOF permits remarkable CO2 uptake to the extent of 99 and 1000 cc/g at 1 and 30 bar, respectively, at 0 °C. While literature survey reveals that MIL-112, constructed from a 1,2,3-triazole functionalized linker, exhibits no porosity to gas adsorption due to structural flexibility, the results with Cd-L MOF described herein emphasize how rigidification of the organic linker improves gas uptake properties of the resultant MOF.