Two Stable\nPillar-Layered Zn-LMOFs for Highly Fluorescence\nSensing of Inorganic Pollutants and Nitro Aromatic Compounds in Water

Luminescent metal–organic frameworks (LMOFs) are\na potential\nclass of functional materials for the photoluminescent detection of\na wide range of analytes as well as for the detection of pollutants\nin wastewater. Herein, by using the pillar-layered strategy, two new\nluminescence Zn-LMOFs (<b>JLU-MOF222</b> and <b>JLU-MOF223</b>) were successfully solvothermal synthesized. The 2D layers are both\nconsisting of Zn<sup>2+</sup> and TPHC [TPHC = (1,1′:2′,1″-terphenyl)-3,3″,4,4′,4″,5′-hexacarboxylic\nacid] ligands and then pillared by the different N-donor ligands to\nform the 3D Zn-LMOFs with <b>fsh</b> topology. Benefiting from\nthe uncoordinated carboxylate sites, uncoordinated N atom, or -NH<sub>2</sub> group in the pillaring ligands and excellent stability in\npH = 2–13 aqueous phase, <b>JLU-MOF222</b> and <b>JLU-MOF223</b> not only can sensitively detect trace amounts of\ninorganic pollutants (Fe<sup>3+</sup>, Cr<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub><sup>2–</sup>) and nitro aromatic compounds TNP and 2,4-DNP\n(TNP = 2,4,6- trinitrophenol, 2,4-DNP = 2,4-dinitrophenol) through\nluminescence quenching but also exhibit high selectivity of other\nanti-interference competing analytes. The two new Zn-LMOFs can be\nused as potential luminescent sensors for pollutant detection in water\ndue to their high <i>K</i><sub>SV</sub> and low limit of\ndetection (LOD).