Photocatalytic and Ferric Ion Sensing Properties of a New Three-Dimensional Metal–Organic Framework Based on Cuboctahedral Secondary Building Units

[Image: see text] A new three-dimensional microporous metal–organic framework based on Zn(II) clusters with the formula {[Zn(7)(NDC)(5.5)(μ(4)-OH)(3)]·7DMF}(n) (1) (H(2)NDC = 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid) had been synthesized and characterized. The MOF 1 displays an uncommon bsn topology, which is based on a unique heptanuclear Zn(7)(OH)(3)(CO(2))(11) cluster as a secondary building unit. The MOF had been employed as a photocatalyst for the photodegradation of model organic dyes rhodamine B and methyl violet in light. The results of photocatalytic experiments showed that 1 can successfully be employed as the photocatalyst for the benign decomposition of these dyes. A mechanism for the photcatalysis exhibited by 1 had been proposed using the results of density of states (DOS) and partial DOS calculations. The fluorescence properties of the MOF have been investigated, which revealed that 1 could be exploited as the luminescent sensor to recognize Fe(3+) ions with perceptible quenching (K(sv) = 6.55 × 10(4) M–(1)) and a limit of detection of 1.16 ppm.