A Modulator-Induced Defect-Formation Strategy to Hierarchically Porous Metal-Organic Frameworks with High Stability

The pore size enlargement and structural stability have been recognized as two crucial targets, which are rarely achieved together, in the development of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Herein, we have developed a versatile modulator-induced defect-formation strategy, in the presence of monocarboxylic acid as a modulator and an insufficient amount of organic ligand, successfully realizing the controllable synthesis of hierarchically porous MOFs (HP-MOFs) with high stability and tailorable pore characters. Remarkably, the integration of high stability and large mesoporous property enables these HP-MOFs to be important porous platforms for applications involving large molecules, especially in catalysis.