Exploring new linkage chemistry for covalent organic frameworks (COFs) provides a strong driving force to promote the development of this emerging class of crystalline porous organic materials. Herein we report a strategy to synthesize COFs with azo linkage, one of the most important functional unit in materials science but having not yet been exploited as a linkage of COFs. This strategy is developed on the basis of in situ linker exchange, by which imine-linked COFs are completely transformed into azo-linked COFs (Azo-COFs). Moreover, distinct properties of Azo-COFs from their corresponding imine-linked precursors are observed, indicating unique property of Azo-COFs. This strategy provides a useful approach to develop new linkage chemistry for COFs. It also has established a synthetic method for azo-linked COFs, which not only enriches the family of COFs but also offers a platform to explore properties and applications of this class of crystalline porous conjugated polymers.

Three rigid metal porous organic polymers (POPs) based on iron (II) complex are prepared from the condensation reactions of an octahedral [Fe(bpy)3]2+-cored hexaaldehyde and three rod-like aromatic diamines. The POPs...