A series of microporous lanthanide metal-organic frameworks, Tb-3(BDC)(4.5)(DMF)(2)(H2O)(3)(.)(DMF)(H2O) (1) and Ln(3)(BDC)(4.5)(DMF)(2)(H2O)(3)(.)(DMF)(C2H5OH)(0.5)(H2O)(0.5) [Ln = Dy (2), Ho (3), Er (4)], have been synthesized by the reaction of the lanthanide metal ion (Ln(3+)) with 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid and triethylenetetramine in a mixed solution of N,N'-dimethylformamide (DMF), water, and C2H5OH. X-ray diffraction analyses reveal that they are extremely similar in structure and crystallized in triclinic space group P1. An edge-sharing metallic dimer and 4 metallic monomers assemble with 18 carboxylate groups to form discrete inorganic rod-shaped building units [Ln(6)(CO2)(18)], which link to each other through phenyl groups to lead to three-dimensional open frameworks with approximately 4 x 6 A rhombic channels along the [0,-1,1] direction. A water sorption isotherm proves that guest molecules in the framework of complex 1 can be removed to create permanent microporosity and about four water molecules per formula unit can be adsorbed into the micropores. These complexes exhibit blue fluorescence, and complex 1 shows a Tb3+ characteristic emission in the range of 450-650 nm.