Solvent Hierarchy in Hydrogen‐Bonded Organic Frameworks Enables Orthogonal Stability and Dynamic Responsiveness

ABSTRACT Solvents in crystalline materials typically exist either as structural components that stabilize the framework or as adsorbed guests that modulate properties, yet achieving their orthogonal coexistence within a single system remains challenging. This study proposes a natural mineral‐inspired solvent hierarchy strategy that enables the concurrent achievement of framework stability and dynamic responsiveness in hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) through the orthogonal integration of structural and adsorbed solvents. We have validated the feasibility of this solvent hierarchy approach based on four model systems with progressively increasing stability and dynamism: (1) unstable HOFs containing only adsorbed solvents, (2) unstable HOFs with low‐binding‐energy structural solvents, (3) stable HOFs incorporating strong‐fitted structural solvents, and (4) stable HOFs with structural solvents and dynamically adjustable adsorption solvents. Crystallographic and theoretical analyses reveal that the superior stability of structural solvents originates from the high‐electron‐density oxygen of the DMSO S═O bond, which acts as a strong hydrogen‐bond acceptor, forming stable N─H···O═S bonds with amine groups. The host's aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) characteristics allow real‐time optical monitoring of reversible single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal transformations without compromising structural integrity, demonstrating promising applications for visual water content and water leakage detection. This work not only establishes a new paradigm in solvent engineering for developing smart crystalline materials but also expands the design possibilities for functional porous frameworks.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Aggregate
Published
2026-01-29
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/agt2.70283
Primary Topic
Metal-Organic Frameworks: Synthesis and Applications
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Solvent Hierarchy in Hydrogen‐Bonded Organic Frameworks Enables Orthogonal Stability and Dynamic Responsiveness

Peifa Wei, Yadong Shi, Shengyong Deng, Xuan He et al.
Aggregate
Metal-Organic Frameworks: Synthesis and Applications
article

Solvent Hierarchy in Hydrogen‐Bonded Organic Frameworks Enables Orthogonal Stability and Dynamic Responsiveness

Peifa Wei, Yadong Shi, Shengyong Deng, Xuan He, Mengjiao Zhang
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Solvents in crystalline materials typically exist either as structural components that stabilize the framework or as adsorbed guests that modulate properties, yet achieving their orthogonal coexistence within a single system remains challenging. This study proposes a natural mineral‐inspired solvent hierarchy strategy that enables the concurrent achievement of framework stability and dynamic responsiveness in hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) through the orthogonal integration of structural and adsorbed solvents. We have validated the feasibility of this solvent hierarchy approach based on four model systems with progressively increasing stability and dynamism: (1) unstable HOFs containing only adsorbed solvents, (2) unstable HOFs with low‐binding‐energy structural solvents, (3) stable HOFs incorporating strong‐fitted structural solvents, and (4) stable HOFs with structural solvents and dynamically adjustable adsorption solvents. Crystallographic and theoretical analyses reveal that the superior stability of structural solvents originates from the high‐electron‐density oxygen of the DMSO S═O bond, which acts as a strong hydrogen‐bond acceptor, forming stable N─H···O═S bonds with amine groups. The host's aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) characteristics allow real‐time optical monitoring of reversible single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal transformations without compromising structural integrity, demonstrating promising applications for visual water content and water leakage detection. This work not only establishes a new paradigm in solvent engineering for developing smart crystalline materials but also expands the design possibilities for functional porous frameworks.

AggregateVol. 7(2)
Anhui University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, University of Science and Technology of China, Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province
Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Openalex Percentile: Top 75%
Metal-Organic Frameworks: Synthesis and Applications
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.