An iodo-functionalized UiO-67 metal–organic framework for sensing disinfection byproducts

An iodo-functionalized UiO-67-type metal–organic framework (MOF) (UiO-67(I)2) has been successfully synthesized via a solvothermal reaction. The fluorescence properties of diiodo-UiO-67 and UiO-67 MOFs toward sensing halogenated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) have been studied for the first time. To the development of intermolecular interactions between MOFs and DBPs, these analytes including halogen bonding donors and acceptors such as halogen, nitrogen, and amine are promising substrates for the sensing process. The results show that the sensing response of the MOFs toward halogenated DBPs significantly increased with the incorporation of halogen bonding (XB) functionalities. Noteworthy, in each class of DBPs, the sensing response of the considered MOFs regularly improved by moving from fluoro to the iodo group, which precisely indicates that halogen bonding is in charge.