Nanosized Zirconium–Organic Frameworks with\nRedox Behaviors for the Switchable Detection of Hypochlorous Acid\nand Ascorbic Acid

Luminescent\nmetal–organic frameworks (LMOFs) exhibit promising\napplications as chemical sensors, especially for organic-linker-based\nLMOFs due to their unlimited structures and pre- and postfunctionality.\nHowever, it is still a challenge to introduce specific functional\ngroups into LMOFs as reaction sites for sensing. Herein, a new luminescent\nzirconium-based metal–organic framework (Zr-MOF), HIAM-4009L,\nis reported with <b>csq</b> underlying net. By integrating the\nhydroquinone moiety into the skeleton of the organic linker via the\nreaction between <i>o</i>-diamine and aldehydes, nanosized\nHIAM-4009L exhibits reversible emission responses toward hypochlorous\nacid (HClO) and l-ascorbic acid (vitamin C, Vc) due to the\nswitchable hydroquinone/quinone reaction. This nano-MOF can be used\nas a reaction-based chemical sensor for HClO and Vc detection with\nhigh selectivity and sensitivity. The present work not only provides\nnanosized MOFs for the reversible detection of HClO and Vc but also\nsheds light on the rational design of LMOFs with specific functional\ngroups using an <i>o</i>-diamine- and aldehyde-based reaction.