Water-Insoluble Heterometal-Oxide-Based Photocatalysts Effective for the Photo-Decomposition of Methyl Orange

Two water-insoluble isostructural inorganic–organic hybrid materials, [M­(pytpy)2Mo4O13]∞ (M = Cu 1, Ni 2, pytpy = 4′-(4-pyridyl)-4,2′:6′,4″-terpyridine), have been prepared by in situ formation of the Mo4O132– clusters from the decomposition of H3PMo12 under hydrothermal conditions. Both of the two complexes display three-dimensional (3D) “pillar-layer” frameworks based on bimetal-oxide layers pillared by the pytpy ligands. Topological analysis revealed that two 3D frameworks can be simplified into (3,4,4)-connected (42.62.83)2(4.62)2(44.102) and (3,5,6)-connected (42.6)2(44.66)2(44.68.83) topologies with the metal ions as nodes, respectively. Importantly, good photocatalytic activities were observed for both complexes in the photodecomposition of methyl orange (MO) solution under UV light irradiation.