Octanuclear Cobalt(II) Cluster-Based Metal-Organic Framework with Caged Structure Exhibiting the Selective Adsorption of Ethane over Ethylene.

A novel metal-organic framework (MOF) of [Co(OH)(TCA)(HO)] (abbreviation: JXNU-9) based on the unique octanuclear Co(μ-OH) clusters linked by 4,4',4″-nitrilotribenzoate (TCA) ligands featuring small caged structures and one-dimensional channels was prepared and characterized. JXNU-9 shows a high CH uptake capacity of 3.60 mmol g (4.