TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The phthalocyanine catechol subunit has a structure of formula (AA). The subunit comprises a metal atom or metal ion. In the crystalline covalent organic framework, the linking groups have a structure of formula ((CH3)2B-R1-B(CH3)2). The multifunctional linking group comprises 1,4-bis-dimethylboranyl-benzene, 4,4'-bis-dimethylboranyl-biphenyl, 2,7-bis-dimethylboranyl-pyrene, 2,7-dimethyl-benzophenanthroline-1,3,6,8-tetraonepolycylic compound of formula (aa), (4-(2-(4-(2-(4-dimethylboranylphenyl)ethynyl)phenyl)ethynyl)phenyl)-dimethyl-borane 2,7-bis-(4-dimethylboranyl-phenyl)-benzophenanthroline-1,3,6,8-tetraone, (4-(4-(4-dimethylboranylphenyl)buta-1,3-diynyl)phenyl)-dimethyl-borane (4-(2-(4-dimethylboranylphenyl)ethynyl)phenyl)-dimethyl-borane, (4-(3,5-bis(4-dimethylboranylphenyl)phenyl)phenyl)-dimethyl-borane, 1,3,5-tris-dimethylboranyl-benzene, (1Z,4Z,9Z,15Z)-5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(4-dimethylboranyl-phenyl)-porphyrin), and metal complex of formula (bb). The framework has pores having a diameter of 2-6 nm, where the pores run parallel to the stacked aromatic moieties. The framework is a crystallite, where the longest dimension of the crystallite is 50 nm to 10 microns. The framework absorbs light having a wavelength of 200-1500 nm. The protected subunit compound comprises porphyrin compound of formula (cc), triphenylene-2,3,6,7,10,11-hexol of formula (dd), or (4-boronophenyl)boronic acid of formula (ee). The multifunctional linker has a structure of formula ((HO)2-B-R1-B(OH)2. The Lewis acid is borontrifluoride etherate. The multifunctional linker comprises (4-boronophenyl)boronic acid, (4-(4-(hydroxy(methyl)boranyl)phenyl)phenyl)boronic acid, (7-boronopyren-2-yl)boronic acid, boronic acid of formula (a1), (4-(2-(4-(2-(4-boronophenyl)ethynyl)phenyl)ethynyl)phenyl)boronic acid, (4-(4-(4-boronophenyl)buta-1,3-diynyl)phenyl)boronic acid, (4-(2-(4-boronophenyl)ethynyl)phenyl)boronic acid, (3,5-diboronophenyl)boronic acid, (4-(3,5-bis(4-boronophenyl)phenyl)phenyl)boronic acid, (4-((1Z,4Z,9Z,15Z)-10,15,20-tris(4-boronophenyl)-21,23-dihydroporphyrin-5-yl)phenyl)boronic acid, and metal complex of formula (b1).R1 = aryl or non-aromatic polycyclic group;M = metal atom or metal ion; andP1 = protecting group. EXAMPLE - Pyrene diboronic acid 1 (17 mg) and zinc octahydroxyphthalocyanine (20 mg) were combined in a mixture of dioxane and methanol (3 m) and sonicated for 10 minutes. The obtained dark green suspension was transferred to a 10 ml pre-scored long-necked glass ampoule, flash-frozen in a liquid nitrogen bath, and flame-sealed. The ampoule was placed in a 120 degrees C gravity convection oven for 96 hours, and the resulting free-flowing dark green powder was collected by filtration, washed with anhydrous toluene (1 ml) and air-dried to form crystalline covalent organic framework.