Mechanistic Insight into Charge and Energy Transfers of Luminescent Metal–Organic Frameworks Based Sensors for Toxic Chemicals

Mechanistic studies of materials able to detect hazardous and toxic chemicals, such as common organic solvents, pesticides, and nitroaromatic compounds (NACs), are critically important owing to the threat they pose to humans and the environment. Recently, porous luminescent metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with multifunctional sites, high surface areas, and structural tunability have emerged as sensory devices for the detection of hazardous and toxic chemicals. Herein, recent progress regarding the mechanistic behavior of MOF sensors in the detection of common organic solvents, pesticides, and NACs using luminescence signal changes is presented. This review focuses on the origins of charge and charge-energy transfer in different MOFs, ligands and metal centers, modes of interaction, common mechanisms, and limits of detection of MOF sensors for toxic analyte detection. These studies indicate the remaining challenges and directions for future research.