Five metal-organic coordination polymers (MOCPs) based on the isonicotinic acid (HIA), namely [M (IA)2(H2O)(4)] (M-CP, M = Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd), have been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally charac-terized. All of the five MOCPs possess similar structures, which are further linked via hydrogen-bonding in-teractions to generate 3D supramolecular frameworks. The effects of the central metals on the properties of M-CPs have been discussed. Moreover, in order to improve the organic dye removal and analyte detection prop-erties, five nanostructures were synthesized by the pyrolysis method from the five MOCP precursors. The se-lective organic dye removal and analyte detection properties by the M-CPs and their derivatives (M@C, M = Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd) in the aqueous phase were also comparatively investigated and shown that the highest photo -catalytic degradation rates were 98.95% and 92.29% for GV and CR, respectively, in solutions containing Co@C after 4 h. In addition, Co@C, Ni@C and Cu@C show stable catalytic efficiencies after five reaction cycles. Zn/Cd-based CPs and their derived nanostructures can selectively recognize Fe3+, Cr2O72-, CrO42-, MnO4-, NM and NB.