Photochemical Transformation of Metal–Organic Frameworks Constructed by 5‐Boronobenzene‐1, 3‐Dicarboxylic Acid, and Zinc Sulfate for Dynamic Information Encryption

Abstract The reversible photo‐transformation metal–organic framework (MOF) capable of changing properties by surface chemical modification has huge potential in various industrial fields. However, such material is still rare. Herein, a crystalline 3D MOF constructed by 5‐boronobenzene‐1, 3‐dicarboxylic acid, and zinc sulfate (Zn‐BBDA) is reported, where the boronic groups are spontaneously change into the hydroxyl groups during the preparation process. The resulted MOF possesses the orderly distributed hydroxyl groups in interlayers. The photo‐responsive properties of the resulted MOF are explored. The results indicate that the appearance color and fluorescence emission of the resulted Zn‐BBDA can be simultaneously adjusted based on the oxidation‐reduction reaction of the hydroxyl group. The transformation degree of the MOF can be quantitatively monitored by fluorescence emission or Red, Green, Blue (RGB) readout. The response mechanism of the resulted Zn‐BBDA is revealed. The surface properties of the resulted Zn‐BBDA before and after irradiation are also investigated. The present material exhibits a bright future in the field of anti‐counterfeiting and antibacterial treatment. The research provides new views in exploring novel photo‐response materials.