Interwoven Metal-Organic Framework on a Periodic Minimal Surface with Extra-Large Pores

Interpenetration (catenation) has long been considered a major impediment in the achievement of stable and porous crystalline structures. A strategy for the design of highly porous and structurally stable networks makes use of metal-organic building blocks that can be assembled on a triply periodic P -minimal geometric surface to produce structures that are interpenetrating—more accurately considered as interwoven. We used 4,4′,4"-benzene-1,3,5-triyl-tribenzoic acid (H 3 BTB), copper(II) nitrate, and N , N ′-dimethylformamide (DMF) to prepare Cu 3 (BTB) 2 (H 2 O) 3 ·(DMF) 9 (H 2 O) 2 (MOF-14), whose structure reveals a pair of interwoven metal-organic frameworks that are mutually reinforced. The structure contains remarkably large pores, 16.4 angstroms in diameter, in which voluminous amounts of gases and organic solvents can be reversibly sorbed.