TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The metal clusters comprise at least one ion of metals selected from transition metals. The metal clusters comprise at least one ion of metals selected from aluminum, germanium and gallium. The transition metals are selected from period four transition metals. The period four transition metals are selected from chromium, nickel, copper, cobalt, manganese, cadmium and zinc. At least one hydrophilic pore reaches the structural limits of the metal-organic framework-based mesh-adjustable molecular sieve. At least one hydrophobic moiety faces at least one other hydrophobic moiety in a spaced-apart relationship. At least one hydrophilic pore exhibits an atom-to-atom distance of 8 Angstrom . At least one hydrophilic pore exhibits an atom-to-atom distance of 5 Angstrom considering Vander Waals radii. Several metal clusters are coordinatively bound with several functionalized hydrophilic moieties. Several tri-layers pack in a graphitic structure. The first secondary building unit comprises (M1)x(A1)y. The first secondary building unit comprises a cluster selected from Ni8( mu 3-OH)4, Cu2, Co2, Mn2, and Zn2. The eight octa-nickel atoms are divided into four pairs by a two-fold axis through the center of the cluster. The first nickel pair is bound to five carboxylate O atoms from four 5-tertbutyl-1,3-benzenedicarboxylate ligands and one mu 3-OH groups. The second nickel pair is bound to three carboxylate O atoms and three mu 3-OH groups. The third nickel pair is bound to four carboxylate O atoms and one mu 3-OH group. The fourth nickel pair is bound to two carboxylate O atoms and one mu 3-OH group.M1=transition metals, aluminum, germanium, and gallium;A1=oxo, hydroxyl, aqua, sulfido, and halogen;x and y=charge balance.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preparation (claimed): Preparation of metal-organic framework-based mesh-adjustable molecular sieve (I) involves dissolving a source of metal ions and a source of amphiphilic ligands to form a solution, where each ligand comprises a hydrophobic moiety and a functionalized hydrophilic moiety; and crystallizing the solution under predetermined conditions to form a predetermined metal-organic framework-based mesh-adjustable molecular sieve (I). Preferred Process: The preparation of metal-organic framework-based mesh-adjustable molecular sieve (I) further involves washing the metal-organic framework-based mesh-adjustable molecular sieve (I) with a suitable solvent; heating the metal-organic framework-based mesh-adjustable molecular sieve (I) to a predetermined temperature, where the metal-organic framework-based mesh-adjustable molecular sieve (I) become activated for gas adsorption. In the preparation of metal-organic framework-based mesh-adjustable molecular sieve (I), the solution is heated to a predetermined temperature. The solution is cooled to a predetermined temperature. The metal ions and the amphiphilic ligands are dissolved in an aqueous solvent (preferably ethylene glycol). In the process (P1), the adsorption temperature (T1 in degrees K) is selected according to the equation of D1 (i.e. kinetic diameter in Angstrom ) is 0.0076 T1+2.76. The adsorption temperature (T1 in degrees K) is selected according to the equation D (i.e. kinetic diameter in Angstrom ) is D2 (i.e. kinetic diameter of a molecular species in Angstrom , adsorbed at 0 degrees K)+ alpha T1 (where alpha is a constant). Preferred Sieve: The metal-organic framework-based mesh-adjustable molecular sieve (I) is selected from Cul(L1)m.L1=ligand;l and m=charge balance.Preferred Components: The amphiphilic ligands comprise 4'-tert-butyl-biphenyl-3,5 dicarboxylate; 5-tert-butyl-1,3-benzene dicarboxylate; and 4'-methyl-biphenyl-3,5-dicarboxylate. The amphiphilic ligand is selected from group of formulae (i)-(v).X=carboxylate, cyano, phosphonate, sulfonate, imidazolate, pyridine, pyrazole, and tetrazolate;Y1=tert-butyl, methyl, isopropyl, trifluoromethyl, butoxyl, butylsulfonyl, alkyl, halogenated alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and alkoxyl. SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - 6 Molecular sieves are selected from the metal-organic framework-based mesh-adjustable molecular sieve (I) e.g. copper(II)bis(4'-methyl-biphenyl-3,5-dicarboxylate) (Ia), cobalt(II)bis(4'-tert-butyl-biphenyl-3,5-dicarboxylate), manganese(II)bis(4'-tert-butyl-biphenyl-3,5-dicarboxylate), zinc(II)bis(4'-tert-butyl-biphenyl-3,5-dicarboxylate), and copper(II)bis(4'-tert-butyl-biphenyl-3,5-dicarboxylate).    EXAMPLE - 5-Tert-butyl-1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid (0.075 g) and nickel nitrate (0.15 g) in water/ethylene glycol (7.5 ml) were placed in a Teflon (RTM: poly(tetrafluoroethylene)) container (20 ml) and sealed in an autoclave. The autoclave was heated to 210 degrees C in a programmable oven. The light green needle-like crystals obtained were washed with distilled water and methanol to obtain pure metal-organic framework-based mesh-adjustable molecular sieve with the formula Ni8( mu 3-OH)4(C12H12O4)6(H2O)8.8H2O (yield 55%).