Ligand-elaboration as a strategy for engendering structural diversity in porous metal-organic framework compounds.

A series of 4,4'-ethynylenedibenzoic acids were synthesized and used in the construction of Zn-based, mixed-ligand metal-organic frameworks; through variation of functionality in the 3- and 3'-positions of these linkers, a collection of MOFs with differing connectivities and varying levels of interpenetration was obtained.