Molecular Sieving and Direct Visualization of CO in Binding Pockets of an Ultramicroporous Lanthanide Metal-Organic Framework Platform.

Inspired by the structure of carbonic anhydrase, we developed a robust ultramicroporous lanthanide metal-organic framework (MOF) platform (NKMOF-3-Ln), which possesses a porous pocket to selectively bind with CO at ambient conditions. Notably, CO molecules can be precisely observed in the single-crystal structure of NKMOF-3-Ln. Highly ordered CO molecules can strongly interact with the framework via electrostatic interaction of nitrates.