A three-dimensional metal–organic framework based on hexanuclear copper units with unsaturated CuII centers

A new metal–organic framework based on hexanuclear copper units, Cu6(μ3-O)(μ3-OH)(pz)6(btc) (pz = pyrazolate, btc = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate) 1, has been prepared by the hydrothermal reaction of Cu2 + ions, Hpz and H3btc ligands in a methanolic solution. The hexanuclear copper building unit in 1 is composed of two triangular Cu3O(H)(pz)3 units bridged by carboxyl groups, in which each Cu center is coordinatively unsaturated with open coordination sites. The photocatalytic investigation indicates that compound 1 exhibits a higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B.