A highly luminescent terbium-organic framework for reversible detection of mercury ions in aqueous solution.

A new organic-lanthanide framework [TbL1.5(H2O)2]·H2O (1) [H2L = 5-(3'-carboxylphenyl)nicotinic acid] was synthesized. Its structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex was characterized by PXRD, FT-IR, fluorescence as well as TGA, and features a 3D framework with a 1D channel and exhibits exceptionally high thermal stability up to 440 °C in air. Furthermore, it displays highly sensitive and selective luminescence quenching to Hg(2+) in aqueous solution. The result of a reversible sensing experiment showed complex 1 could be reusable at least 5 times.