Highly sensitive and selective fluorescent probe for Fe3+ and hazardous phenol compounds based on a water-stable Zn-based metal-organic framework in aqueous media

A novel two-fold interpenetrating network, namely, {[Zn(DPTMIA)]center dot(H2O)(2)(DMF)(0.5)}(n) (HPU-1), with rectangular channels was synthesized and structurally characterized. HPU-1 was shown to be potentially applicable as a multi-functional fluorescent probe. It was shown to specifically detect Fe3+, through a cation exchange mechanism, and hazardous phenol compounds, using a mechanism involving a decrease in the efficiency of the transfer of electrons and energy from the ligands to the metal ions. The detection limits of HPU-1 for Fe3+ and the phenol compounds were found to be lower than those of MOFs reported in the literature. This HPU-1 probe was shown to be functional in aqueous solution and to be affected neither by the type of solvent nor the pH.