Iron-Based Metal–Organic Framework with Hydrophobic Quadrilateral Channels for Highly Selective Separation of Hexane Isomers

A novel iron-based
microporous metal–organic framework built of trinuclear iron
clusters [Fe3(μ3-O)­(COO)6]
and 2,2-bis­(4-carboxyphenyl)-hexafluoropropane (6FDCA) has been prepared
by solvothermal synthesis. It exhibits excellent chemical stability
and strong hydrophobic character. More importantly, this material
is capable of separating hexane isomers with good separation performance
on the basis of a kinetically controlled process, making it a promising
candidate for improving the research octane number of gasoline.