Dimension conversion: from a 1D metal–organic gel into a 3D metal–organic porous network with high-efficiency multiple enzyme-like activities for cascade reactions

Abstract

Rational design and synthesis of high-efficiency artificial enzymes with multiple enzyme-like activities in one unit and high selectivity for specific substrates remain great challenges. In this work, for the first time, a stable three-dimensional (3D) Cu-based metal–organic porous network (Cu-MOPN) with intrinsic oxidase- and peroxidase-mimicking activities was successfully fabricated from a one-dimensional (1D) Cu-based metal–organic gel (Cu-MOG) under microwave irradiation. Owing to its high BET surface area, hierarchically porous structure and inherent mass transfer channels, Cu-MOPN shows higher catalytic activity than Cu-MOG. Furthermore, on the basis of the excellent cysteine (Cys) oxidase- and peroxidase-mimicking activities of Cu-MOPN, the highly selective detection of Cys in serum was well realized by a cascade reaction. This study may provide a new strategy for constructing high-efficiency artificial enzymes with versatile functions, and will be highly beneficial for a broad range of applications including biocatalysis, bioassays and biomedicine.