Iron-based metal-organic frameworks in analytical chemistry: Synthesis, characterization, structure-property relationships, and analytical applications.

Iron-based metal-organic frameworks (Fe-MOFs) represent a unique class of porous materials for advanced analytical sensing. Their high surface area, tunable pore structures, intrinsic catalytic activity, excellent stability, and remarkable biocompatibility have made them highly attractive platforms for a wide range of analytical applications. This review provides a novel and critical perspective on recent advances in Fe-MOF-based analytical platforms by systematically evaluating their synthesis strategies, functionalization approaches, sensing mechanisms, and analytical applications in spectrophotometric, fluorimetric, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and electrochemical techniques. Unlike previous reviews, this work establishes clear relationships between Fe-MOF structure, catalytic activity, and analytical performance through a comprehensive comparative analysis supported by standardized analytical performance metrics. The review further highlights the impact of structural engineering and hybrid Fe-MOF architectures on sensitivity, selectivity, and practical applicability in real-sample analysis. In addition, the current challenges and future perspectives for developing sustainable, high-performance Fe-MOF-based analytical sensors are critically discussed. This review provides valuable design insights and a practical framework to guide the rational development of Fe-MOF analytical sensing platforms.