Ratiometric Luminescent Detection of Organic Amines Due to the Induced Lactam–Lactim Tautomerization of Organic Linker in a Metal–Organic Framework

Here we demonstrate that a fluorescent benzothiadiazole (BTD)-conjugated terphenyldicarboxylate (TPDC) linker (denoted as H2-ostpdc) has been hybridized by a quinoxaline-2,3-(1H,4H)-dione (QD) moiety possessing lactam-lactim tautomerism, which was further integrated into a robust and porous UiO-68 type zirconium metal–organic framework (MOF UiO-68-osdm) by utilizing the mixed two dicarboxylate struts with the same ligand lengths. The resultant MOF UiO-68-osdm can work as a ratiometric luminescent sensor for visual and selective detection of alkyl amines. Furthermore, it can discriminate secondary alkylamines from other type amine species.