A series of five zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) have been synthesized using zinc(II) acetate and five different 4,5-functionalized imidazole units, namely ZIF-25, -71, -93, -96, and -97. These 3-D porous frameworks have the same underlying topology (RHO) with Brunauer-Emmet-Teller surface areas ranging from 564 to 1110 m(2)/g. The only variation in structure arises from the functional groups that are directed into the pores of these materials, which include -CH3, -OH, -Cl, -CN, -CHO, and NH2; therefore these 3-D frameworks are ideal for the study of the effect of functionality on CO2 uptake. Experimental results show CO2 uptake at approximately 800 Torr and 298 K ranging from 0.65 mmol g(-1) in ZIF-71 to 2.18 mmol g(-1) in ZIF-96. Molecular modeling calculations reproduce the pronounced dependence of the equilibrium adsorption on functionalization and suggest that polarizability and symmetry of the functionalization on the imidazolate are key factors leading to high CO2 uptake.