Pore size-controlled gases and alcohols separation within ultramicroporous homochiral lanthanide–organic frameworks

Abstract

A novel homochiral ultramicroporous lanthanide–organic framework, Ce(BTB)(H₂O) (1) (H₃BTB = 1,3,5-benzenetrisbenzoic acid), with high surface area and two types of open ultramicropores has been synthesized under solvothermal condition, which exhibits an unusual stepwise hysteretic adsorption of O₂ and N₂ at 77 K and high-efficiency gas separations of CO₂/N₂ and CH₄/N₂ at 273 K. The ultramicropores of 1 lead to an unprecedented separation of the propanol isomers due to the slight differences of their geometry and dipole moments. Furthermore, the method for calculating the surface-area and gas separation for 1 is summarized. These will provide a general methodology that can be employed to simulate the surface area and gas separation properties of ultramicroporous materials.