Three-in-one is really better: exploring the sensing and adsorption properties in a newly designed metal–organic system incorporating a copper( ii ) ion

over other metal ions. The possible detection mechanisms were proposed employing UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy and DFT calculations. CP (1) also showed excellent recyclability towards both analytes, and its initial intensity was almost regained after several washings. Moreover, CP (1) acted as an excellent adsorbent material for natural dyes with different charges and sizes, i.e., methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO) and Rhodamine-B. Furthermore, CP (1) was utilized repeatedly for the effective adsorption of MB from wastewater without significant loss in its adsorption capacity. Hence, the present CP (1) was designed to relate coordination chemistry with various functional applications of interest.