A d 10 metal−organic framework ([Hg(Bpbp)(SCN) 2 ] n (CQNU-1, Bpbp = 4,4′-bis(4-pyridyl)biphenyl) has been synthesized and evaluated as a photocatalyst for water splitting. UV−vis spectra and Mott−Schottky analysis indicate that CQNU-1 is a potential photocatalyst with dual functions of hydrogen and oxygen evolution. The results of photocatalytic reactions over CQNU-1 show that, in the presence of a sacrificial agent, the average H 2 and O 2 evolution rates obtained by the pristine CQNU-1 are ∼7.0 and ∼3.4 μmol h −1 during a 9 h test with three cycles, respectively.

Solvothermal reaction of a copper salt, racemic aspartic acid (AspH3), and 1,2,4-triazole (TaH) leads to a nanoporous copper aspartate, Cu4(Asp)2(Ta)2(H2O)2 · 2H2O (1). The compound was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis, and the structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Pairs of l-Asp3− and d-Asp3− ligands in unprecedented μ4-1,2κO:3,4κOκN coordination modes chelate pairs of adjacent copper cations to form a centrosymmetric 8n-membered rectangular pipe, and these pipes are further bridged by copper cations in four directions of the bc plane to form a 3D porous structure with approximately rectangular channels of  ~ 5 × 10 Å2 along the crystallographic a-axis. Along the corners of the rectangular channels, each Ta− ligand connects three adjacent copper cations in a μ3 coordination mode to form the final 3D porous framework with relatively large rectangular channels of  ~ 2 × 8 Å2 along the a-axis. Water molecules reside in these large channels. The thermal stability and solid-state photoluminescence properties of the title compound are also investigated.