Turning on photoelectric activity by cation exchange within an anionic pyrene-based hydrogen-bonded organic framework

Abstract

The assembly of hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) has been proposed as robust porous materials for gas storage/separation, catalysis, molecular recognition, optical applications, enzyme encapsulation, and so on. However, efficient way to obtain well-organized HOFs still remains challenge. Herein, a novel of anionic pyrene-based HOF [BMI]2[H2TBAPy] was synthesised under ionothermal conditions. Relationship between the arrangement of photoactive 1,3,6,8-tetrakis (p-benzoic acid) pyrene molecules and photophysical properties were well studied by the combination of experiments and density functional theory. Through a facile cation-exchange process, the encapsulation of D–π–A dye cations into the HOF nanochannels could sinificantly broaden its light-harvesting region to NIR. The integrated composite can turn on photoelectric activity of the title HOF owing to strong dipole–dipole interactions and efficient energy transfer between host–guest.