AbstractDeveloping catalysts that provide the effective activation of hydrogen and selective absorption of substrate on metal surface is crucial to simultaneously improve activity and selectivity of hydrogenation reaction. Here we present an unique in situ etching and coordination synthetic strategy for exploiting a functionalized metal-organic framework to incorporate the bimetallic platinum–nickel frames, thereby forming a frame within frame nanostructure. The as-grown metal-organic framework serves as a ‘breath shell’ to enhance hydrogen enrichment and activation on platinum–nickel surface. More importantly, this framework structure with defined pores can provide the selective accessibility of molecules through its one-dimensional channels. In a mixture containing four olefins, the composite can selectively transport the substrates smaller than its pores to the platinum–nickel surface and catalyse their hydrogenation. This molecular sieve effect can be also applied to selectively produce imines, which are important intermediates in the reductive imination of nitroarene, by restraining further hydrogenation via cascade processes.