A luminescent zinc(II) metal–organic framework for selective detection of nitroaromatics, Fe3+ and CrO4 2−: a versatile threefold fluorescent sensor

A new ZnII metal–organic framework, [Zn6(L)3(DMA)4]⋅5 DMA (H4L=[1,1′:3′,1′′-terphenyl]-3,3′′,5,5′′-tetracarboxylic acid, DMA=dimethylacetamide), has been synthesized and characterized. The structure contains a three-dimensional 3,4,4,6-connected net with (4.62)2(66)(66)(42.610.83) topology and displays selective detection of nitrobenzene, CrO42− and Fe3+ ions. The present work thus indicates that this metal–organic framework could be a prospective candidate for developing novel luminescence sensors for the selective sensing of nitrobenzene, which can be used as a precursor for explosives. Furthermore, the photoluminescent properties of this material in different solvents and with various analytes were investigated and corroborated by theoretical calculations. The results were in good agreement with the experimental solvent-dependent luminescence behavior.