Such required linker excess promotes the self-deprotonation of HmIm, which is necessary for the ZIF-8 formation. As previously mentioned, the solvent is involved not only in Hmim deprotonation and the solvation of the ions but also acts as a structure director, allowing the framework to be built by bridging the pore structure through hydrogen-bond interactions during formation. However, if the solvent has a stronger ability for hydrogenbond donation, its interaction with the constitutive species of ZIF-8 and the intermediate complexes appearing during the synthesis will be too strong to allow the growth to continue.