Solution and air stable host/guest architectures from a single layer covalent organic framework

Abstract

We show that the surface-supported two-dimensional covalent organic framework (COF) known as COF-1 can act as a host architecture for C₆₀ fullerene molecules, predictably trapping the molecules under a range of conditions. The fullerenes occupy the COF-1 lattice at the solution/solid interface, and in dried films of the COF-1/fullerene network that can be synthesized through either drop-deposition of fullerene solution or by a dipstick-type synthesis in which the surface-supported COF-1 is briefly dipped into the fullerene solution.