Supramolecular interactions induced distortion of BTB ligands: breaking convention to reproduce an unusual (3,4,4)-connected MOF topology

An unusual (3,4,4)-connected MOF topology has been reproduced by a 4,4′,4′′-benzene-1,3,5-triyl-tribenzoate (BTB) ligand which was previously judged to be not feasible to form this network. The outcome demonstrates that supramolecular interactions play a key role in the formation of this highly distorted network. Moreover, this triple interpenetrated framework exhibits high BET surface area.