Incorporation by coordination and release of the iron chelator drug deferiprone from zinc-based metal-organic frameworks.

A series of new zinc-based metal-organic framework materials has been prepared in which deferiprone is incorporated as a chelating ligand on infinite or tri-zinc secondary building units following deprotonation. Deferiprone is immediately released from the MOFs on treatments with 1 N hydrochloric acid or buffer, but slow release is observed in ethanoic acid.