Synthesis, structure and photocatalytic property of a novel 3D (3,8)-connected metal–organic framework based on a flexible triphosphonate and a pentanuclear Cu(II) unit

A novel metal–organic framework, namely, [Cu5(H2L)2(btb)2(OH)2]·3H2O (1), where H6L = 2,4,6-trimethylbenzene-1,3,5-tris(methylenephosphonic acid) and btb = 1,4-bis(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)butane, has been prepared under hydrothermal condition. Compound 1 displays a 3D (3,8)-connected framework based on the pentanuclear Cu(II) units with (43)(46·618·84) topology. The thermogravimetric and photocatalytic properties of 1 have also been investigated.