Temperature-induced structural diversity of metal-organic frameworks and their applications in selective sensing of nitrobenzene and electrocatalyzing the oxygen evolution reaction.

Structural diversities are presented in four new Co-MOFs containing 1,5-bi(imidazolyl)anthracene and different dibenzobarrelene skeletons based on dicarboxylic acid, in which MOFs 1-3 exhibit 2D networks in a 4-connected node topology with the point symbol of {4·6}, while MOF 4 forms a 1D chain structure. It is clearly observed that the 2D-1D structural transformation of 2-4 has been realized by temperature modulated hydrothermal synthesis procedures from 120-160 °C, suggesting the key role of temperature for constructing MOFs. In addition, obvious π-π interactions between anthracene rings can be observed in the architectures of 1-3, which may favorably stabilize their 2D supramolecular networks.