Photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotics under visible light using uranyl isophthalate coordination polymers

Two new uranyl compounds [NH 4 ][(UO 2 )(ipa) 1.5 ]·H 2 O 1 and [(UO 2 ) 2 ( μ 2 OH)( μ 3 OH)(ipa)(H 2 O)]·H 2 O 2 (H 2 ipa = isophthalic acid) have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by infrared spectra (IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analyses and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Structural analysis reveals compound 1 exhibits two-dimensional (2D) framework through the bridging of ipa 2− anions, which was further construct to three-dimensional (3D) structure via π–π stacking interaction. Compound 2 presents a tetranuclear building block [(UO 2 ) 4 ( μ 2 OH) 2 ( μ 3 OH) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ] unit which was linked via μ 3 η 4 coordination mode ipa 2− anions to form one-dimensional (1D) chains structure. The fluorescence properties of the two compounds were investigated. The photocatalytic performance of compound 2 was also investigated and the results show that compound 2 exhibits good photocatalytic activity toward the degradation of tetracycline antibiotics under LEDs irradiation.