Ultrastable 3D cage-like metal–organic frameworks constructed using polydentate cyanurate ligands and their gas adsorption properties

Stability is a key factor that restricts the practical applications of metal–organic framework (MOF) materials. In this work, we report an ultrastable three-dimensional cage-like MOF, SrCu(HC3N3O3)2, constructed by a polydentate cyanurate ligand and two kinds of different metal nodes. A high ratio of coordination sites in organic ligands, specific coordination of strong acid with a strong base and weak acid with a weak base and double independent completed coordination networks endow SrCu(HC3N3O3)2 with outstanding thermal stability (up to 300 °C) and acid/alkali resistance (pH = 2–14). Moreover, SrCu(HC3N3O3)2 possesses the highest porosity up to 36.7% among cyanuric acid-based MOF materials and exhibits differentiated adsorption of C3H4 (63 cm3 g−1) and C3H6 (51 cm3 g−1). The breakthrough experiment further verified that efficient C3H4/C3H6 separation can be achieved under dynamic conditions by SrCu(HC3N3O3)2.