A Highly Symmetric Metal–Organic Framework Based on a Propeller-Like Ru-Organic Metalloligand for Photocatalysis and Explosives Detection

Ru­(H2dcbpy)32+, one of the Ru­(bpy)32+ (dcbpy = 2,2′-bipyridine-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) derivatves, has been used as a propeller-like photoactive metalloligand to coordinate with indium­(III) ions to form a highly symmetric metal–organic framework [InRu­(dcbpy)3]­[(CH3)2NH2]·6H2O (1), and the cubic microcrystals of 1 have been acquired through modified procedures. Compound 1 manifests broad visible light absorption band and strong red light emission with long decay lifetime, both of which are originated from the metal-to-ligand charge transfer of the Ru­(dcbpy)34– metalloligands. Because of the highly light-harvesting and strong redox nature of the Ru­(dcbpy)32+ units in 1, its photocatalysis activities were determined by visible light-induced photodegradation of methyl orange experiments. The results indicate that 1 can be a stable and good visible-light driving heterogeneous photocatalyst. Meanwhile, the sensing properties of 1 were also evaluated, and the result shows that 1 can selectively detect the nitro explosives molecules.