Characterization, Structure, and Reactivity of Hydroxyl Groups on Metal-Oxide Cluster Nodes of Metal-Organic Frameworks: Structural Diversity and Keys to Reactivity and Catalysis

Defective Metal-Organic Frameworks Confined PdO with High Resistance to Reduction: An Efficient Photocatalyst for Hydrodeoxygenation of Lignin Derivatives

The positively charged metal species in the supported catalyst is often highly active in various reactions, and stabilization of this state is vital for fabricating catalysts with long-term cycles, particularly under reducing reaction conditions. Herein, we propose a strategy to fabricate reduction-resistant PdO by constructing enhanced metal-support interaction (MSI) using subnanometer nodes in defective metal-organic framework (MOF). Specifically, a photo-induced way was developed to generate defected Zr6O8 nodes for enhanced MSI in nanoconfined space. The obtained Pd/defective-MOF composites not only stabilize PdO via an unsaturated Zr6O8 cluster for a long period under photoreducing conditions but also provide a driving force for substrate enrichment and proton transfer by -OH/-OH2 coordination, leading to a dramatically enhanced catalytic performance in the photocatalytic hydrodeoxygenation of lignin derivatives, which is 4.5 times that of Pd/ideal-MOF composites with weak MSI. This work provides ideas for the selection of ultrasmall support to stabilize positively charged metal and also an avenue to design photocatalysts with tightly connected heterogeneous in MOFs.

Toward Reversible Crystalline-to-Amorphous Guest-Induced Transitions in Manganese(III) Carboxylate Metal-Organic Frameworks

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are an interesting class of inorganic/organic hybrid materials with a wide scope of applications. Although manganese is an abundant metal, the synthesis of Mn(III)-containing MOFs has not been widely studied due to the relative redox sensitivity of this species. We therefore investigated the self-oxidation of manganese(II) nitrate in the presence of aromatic dicarboxylic linkers in alcohols, discovering a series of new Mn(III)-MOFs. The obtained structures were analyzed through a combination of (synchrotron) X-ray diffraction and total scattering (pair distribution function analysis) experiments. In methanol, the syntheses led to new nonflexible members of the MIL-47/MIL-53 and MIL-69 families of MOFs, rare examples containing bridging methoxy anions. When using ethanol or 1-propanol, wine rack-like structures (named UcL-1 and UcL-2) with different MnII/MnIII secondary building units are obtained. These demonstrate intriguing reversible crystalline-to-crystalline and crystalline-to-amorphous transitions upon guest exchange and release. The latter process involves strong correlated and noncorrelated structural distortions, paired with the creation of coordinatively unsaturated MnIII sites. This work demonstrates that Mn(III)-containing carboxylate systems have the potential for the design of new functional MOF materials, including structures with tunable flexible behavior.

Defect-derived catalytic sites in Ce/Zr-UiO-66 for degradation of hexachlorobenzene

It is of great significance to develop catalysts for the degradation of hexachlorobenzene from the industrial thermal process. In this paper, formic acid was used as a modulator to generate defect sites in Ce/Zr-UiO-66 with intrinsic Brønsted acidity. The defective formate ligands were removed through methanol-water vapor treatment to expose additional open metal sites with Lewis acidity. The intrinsic Brønsted acid sites of the resulting Ce/Zr-UiO-66-FA-P achieved a hexachlorobenzene degradation efficiency of 99.5% at 250 °C. The generated Lewis acid sites facilitated the C-C cleavage of degradation intermediates. More than 95.0% of the final products were CO2/CO, coupled with chlorinated alkanes/alkenes, which outperformed other benchmark metal oxide catalysts. The Ce/Zr-UiO-66-FA-P catalyst maintained its catalytic activity in the model industrial flue gas and humid environment. The degradation pathway of hexachlorobenzene was tracked using in situ FT-IR spectra.

MoS2 Decorated on 1D MoS2@Co/NC@CF Hierarchical Fibrous Membranes for Enhanced Microwave Absorption

The design and development of high-quality electromagnetic waves (EMW) absorbing materials play a vital role in combating the escalating negative effects of microwave radiation and interference. Herein, MoS2@Co/NC@CF fibrous membranes are successfully fabricated by electrospinning technology and carbonization, and a molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) layer is synthesized on the surface of these fibers via hydrothermal method. The seed-assisted growth method not only effectively avoids the accumulation and improves the loading of ZIF-67 particles, so as to ensure that the magnetic components in the fibers are evenly distributed in a wider range, rather than only intermittently present in some sites. Meanwhile, the introduction of semiconductor MoS2 as the shell further optimizes the impedance matching and improves the EMW absorption performance of the carbon fibrous membranes: the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) is -67.56 dB, and the maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EABmax) is further expanded to 6.56 GHz (2.1 mm, 11.44-18 GHz). This work provides a feasible method for developing high-efficient EMW-absorbing materials.

Isolation of Polyethylene Glycol with Larger Molecular Weights via Metal-Organic Frameworks

Polymer products typically present as mixtures with a range of molecular weights, which notably influence the expression of their properties. In this study, a technique is proposed to separate polyethylene glycol (PEG) mixtures of varying molecular weights using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), thereby narrowing down their molecular weight distribution. Due to the hydrogen bond interactions between PEG and -OH groups in the pores of NU-1000, NU-1000 can selectively adsorb PEG with larger molecular weights from PEG mixture. This separation method consistently yields with narrower molecular weight distribution across multiple cycles. This is the first application of MOFs in regulating the dispersity (Ð) of polymers in solution, providing a novel approach for separating and purifying mixed molecular weight polymers.

Supramolecular systems and their connection with metal-organic structures

Supramolecular structures with specific applications are a pillar in several areas of science. Thus, from a contemporary point of view, there are several reasons to embrace a systematic order of the supramolecular concept itself. First, the structuring of a supramolecular material seems safer now than it did decades ago. Second, the interactions of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and supramolecular chemistry and, conversely, supramolecularity to assemble MOFs and create efficient complex systems in multiple cutting-edge applications are an image to be safeguarded. Third, perhaps we should simply limit ourselves to considering how researchers in these fields have attempted to correlate the notion of supramolecular systems by linking self-assembly considerations. In any case, these topics present advantages to optimize innovative geometries that are useful to highlight significant practical applications. This review covers a general introduction to MOFs and supramolecularity, the key unit of the study presented here, followed by a survey of recent advances in confined space chemistry, the relationships of MOFs with supramolecular structures, and the synthesis electrochemistry of MOFs and switchable MOFs to obtain a greater understanding of structure-property relationships. To conclude, some future perspectives on this promising and plausible field of science will be mentioned.

Defect-enabling zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks for energy and environmental remediation applications

This comprehensive review explores the diverse applications of defective zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks (Zr-MOFs) in energy and environmental remediation. Zr-MOFs have gained significant attention due to their unique properties, and deliberate introduction of defects further enhances their functionality. The review encompasses several areas where defective Zr-MOFs exhibit promise, including environmental remediation, detoxification of chemical warfare agents, photocatalytic energy conversions, and electrochemical applications. Defects play a pivotal role by creating open sites within the framework, facilitating effective adsorption and remediation of pollutants. They also contribute to the catalytic activity of Zr-MOFs, enabling efficient energy conversion processes such as hydrogen production and CO2 reduction. The review underscores the importance of defect manipulation, including control over their distribution and type, to optimize the performance of Zr-MOFs. Through tailored defect engineering and precise selection of functional groups, researchers can enhance the selectivity and efficiency of Zr-MOFs for specific applications. Additionally, pore size manipulation influences the adsorption capacity and transport properties of Zr-MOFs, further expanding their potential in environmental remediation and energy conversion. Defective Zr-MOFs exhibit remarkable stability and synthetic versatility, making them suitable for diverse environmental conditions and allowing for the introduction of missing linkers, cluster defects, or post-synthetic modifications to precisely tailor their properties. Overall, this review highlights the promising prospects of defective Zr-MOFs in addressing energy and environmental challenges, positioning them as versatile tools for sustainable solutions and paving the way for advancements in various sectors toward a cleaner and more sustainable future.

CO2-Based Stable Porous Metal-Organic Frameworks for CO2 Utilization

The transformation of carbon dioxide (CO2) into functional materials has garnered considerable worldwide interest. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as a distinctive class of materials, have made great contributions to CO2 capture and conversion. However, facile conversion of CO2 to stable porous MOFs for CO2 utilization remains unexplored. Herein, we present a facile methodology of using CO2 to synthesize stable zirconium-based MOFs. Two zirconium-based MOFs CO2-Zr-DEP and CO2-Zr-DEDP with face-centered cubic topology were obtained via a sequential desilylation-carboxylation-coordination reaction. The MOFs exhibit excellent crystallinity, as verified through powder X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analyses. They also have notable porosity with high surface area (SBET up to 3688 m2 g-1) and good CO2 adsorption capacity (up to 12.5 wt %). The resulting MOFs have abundant alkyne functional moieties, confirmed through 13C cross-polarization/magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectra. Leveraging the catalytic prowess of Ag(I) in diverse CO2-involved reactions, we incorporated Ag(I) into zirconium-based MOFs, capitalizing on their interactions with carbon-carbon π-bonds of alkynes, thereby forming a heterogeneous catalyst. This catalyst demonstrates outstanding efficiency in catalyzing the conversion of CO2 and propargylic alcohols into cyclic carbonates, achieving >99% yield at room temperature and atmospheric pressure conditions. Thus, this work provides a dual CO2 utilization strategy, encompassing the synthesis of CO2-based MOFs (20-24 wt % from CO2) and their subsequent application in CO2 capture and conversion processes. This approach significantly enhances overall CO2 utilization.

Discovery of two predictable (3,18)-connected topologies based on Wells-Dawson type cages for the design of porous metal phosphonocarboxylate frameworks

Highly connected molecular building blocks (MBBs) have been demonstrated to play a crucial role in reticular chemistry, particularly in predicting the topologies of metal-organic frameworks. Metal phosphonate clusters exhibit considerable advantages in constructing high-connectivity MBBs, owing to the multiple coordination modes offered by phosphonic ligands. Herein, four metal (M = CoII, MnII) phosphonocarboxylate frameworks (CoPCF-1,2 and MnPCF-1,2) were successfully prepared under solvothermal conditions by utilizing the phosphonocarboxylic ligand, 4'-phosphonobiphenyl-3,5-dicarboxylic acid (H4pbpdc), and their structural characterization was performed using single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD). The structures feature a duodenary nuclear M12(µ3-OH)2(CO2)12(PO3)6(DMF)6/(CH3COO)4.5 cluster, bearing resemblance to the well-known Wells-Dawson ion from polyoxometallate chemistry. It is the first time a Wells-Dawson type cage has served as an 18-connected molecular building block, forming two kinds of porous metal phosphonocarboxylate frameworks with novel (3,18)-connected gez and gea topologies. Their permanent porosities were confirmed through N2 adsorption studies. Notably, the MBB Co12 cluster-based CoPCF-1 shows a loss and recovery process of µ3-OH through single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SCSC) transformation. The magnetic properties of the four compounds exhibit antiferromagnetic behavior.