Tunable Photocatalytic Singlet Oxygen Generation by Metal-Organic Frameworks via Functionalization of Pyrene-Containing Linkers

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are highly versatile materials that have shown great promise in chemical warfare agent (CWA) adsorption and decontamination. Sulfur mustard has been one of the most prominently used CWAs over the last century; therefore, the development of effective detoxification strategies is of utmost importance. However, typical routes of detoxification are slow and/or result in the production of harmful byproducts. NU-1000 has previously shown promise as a "soft" oxidizer that can readily detoxify sulfur mustard and its simulant 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (2-CEES) through the generation of singlet oxygen in the presence of either UV (396 nm) or blue (465 nm) light. Several variants of NU-1000 were synthesized (MOF-R, R = -Cl, -NO2, -CH3) with functional groups positioned either ortho or meta to the carboxylic acid on the linker. NU-1000-o-(Cl)4 and NU-1000-m-(Cl)4 showed significant enhancement of photooxidation of 2-CEES due to spin-orbit coupling, enhancing the intersystem crossing into the MOF triplet (T1) state. Furthermore, substitution of MOF linkers led to pyrene-phenyl rotation. Linkers with substituents in the ortho-position were shown to have smaller pyrene-phenyl torsion angles, leading to enhanced conjugation between the rings and a subsequent red shift in the absorption spectra. This red shift leads to enhanced reactivity of NU-1000-o-(Cl)4 under blue light conditions and gives perspective on making materials with enhanced reactivity utilizing visible light.

Enhancing the Catalytic Activity of MOF-808 Towards Peptide Bond Hydrolysis through Synthetic Modulations

The performance of MOFs in catalysis is largely derived from structural features, and much work has focused on introducing structural changes such as defects or ligand functionalisation to boost the reactivity of the MOF. However, the effects of different parameters chosen for the synthesis on the catalytic reactivity of the resulting MOF remains poorly understood. Here, we evaluate the role of metal precursor on the reactivity of Zr-based MOF-808 towards hydrolysis of the peptide bond in the glycylglycine model substrate. In addition, the effect of synthesis temperature and duration has been investigated. Surprisingly, the metal precursor was found to have a large influence on the reactivity of the MOF, surpassing the effect of particle size or number of defects. Additionally, we show that by careful selection of the Zr-salt precursor and temperature used in MOF syntheses, equally active MOF catalysts could be obtained after a 20 minute synthesis compared to 24 h synthesis.

Dual-Selective Catalysis in Dephosphorylation Tuned by Hf6-Containing Metal-Organic Frameworks Mimicking Phosphatase

Selective dephosphorylation is full of great challenges in the field of biomimetic catalysis. To mimic the active sites of protein phosphatase, Hf-OH-Hf motif-containing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were obtained and structurally characterized, which are assembled from [Hf48Ni6] cubic nanocages and exhibit good stability in various solvents and acid/base solutions. Catalytic investigations suggest as-synthesized Hf-Ni and Hf-Ni-NH 2 display accurate type-selectivity (selectively catalyzed P-O rather than S-O or C-O bonds) and position-selectivity (selectively catalyzed phosphomonoesters over phosphodiesters) for the hydrolysis of phosphoesters. Reaction kinetic studies further revealed the high activity of the catalytic sites in these catalysts, and the unique catalytic selectivity and high activity are comparable to phosphatase. Additionally, these MOF catalysts possess good recursivity and hypotoxicity. Control experiments (including Hf- and Zr-based isomorphous MOFs) and theoretical calculations indicate that both triplet nickel and Hf6 clusters play significant roles in the unique binding site and favorable binding energy. To our knowledge, this is the first example of selective dephosphorylation through MOF catalysts as mimic enzymes, which paves a potential way for the development of specific therapeutic MOFs.

Bifunctional Europium(III) and Niobium(V)-Containing Saponite Clays for the Simultaneous Optical Detection and Catalytic Oxidative Abatement of Blister Chemical Warfare Agents

For the first time, the co-presence in the saponite structure of luminescent Eu^III and catalytic Nb^V metal sites was exploited for the simultaneous detection and catalytic abatement of sulfur-containing blister chemical warfare agents. Metal centers were introduced in structural positions of the saponite (in the interlayer space or inside the inorganic framework) following two different synthetic methodologies. The functionalized saponites were able to reveal the presence of a sulfur mustard simulant (2-chloroethyl)ethyl sulfide (CEES) after few seconds of contact time and more than 80 % of the substrate was catalytically decomposed after 24 h in the presence of aqueous hydrogen peroxide.

Spray-Coating of Catalytically Active MOF-Polythiourea through Postsynthetic Polymerization

A UiO-66-NCS MOF was formed by postsynthetic modification of UiO-66-NH₂ . The UiO-66-NCS MOFs displays a circa 20-fold increase in activity against the chemical warfare agent simulant dimethyl-4-nitrophenyl phosphate (DMNP) compared to UiO-66-NH₂ , making it the most active MOF materials using a validated high-throughput screening. The -NCS functional groups provide reactive handles for postsynthetic polymerization of the MOFs into functional materials. These MOFs can be tethered to amine-terminated polypropylene polymers (Jeffamines) through a facile room-temperature synthesis with no byproducts. The MOFs are then crosslinked into a MOF-polythiourea (MOF-PTU) composite material, maintaining the catalytic properties of the MOF and the flexibility of the polymer. This MOF-PTU hybrid material was spray-coated onto Nyco textile fibers, displaying excellent adhesion to the fiber surface. The spray-coated fibers were screened for the degradation of DMNP and showed durable catalytic reactivity.

Challenges in Fluorescence Detection of Chemical Warfare Agent Vapors Using Solid-State Films

Organophosphorus (OP)-based nerve agents are extremely toxic and potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and recent attacks involving nerve agents highlight the need for fast detection and intervention. Fluorescence-based detection, where the sensing material undergoes a chemical reaction with the agent causing a measurable change in the luminescence, is one method for sensing and identifying nerve agents. Most studies use the simulants diethylchlorophosphate and di-iso-propylfluorophosphate to evaluate the performance of sensors due to their reduced toxicity relative to OP nerve agents. While detection of nerve agent simulants in solution is relatively widely reported, there are fewer reports on vapor detection using solid-state sensors. Herein, progress in organic semiconductor sensing materials developed for solid-state detection of OP-based nerve agent vapors is reviewed. The effect of acid impurities arising from the hydrolysis of simulants and nerve agents on the efficacy and selectivity of the reported sensing materials is also discussed. Indeed, in some cases it is unclear whether it is the simulant that is detected or the acid hydrolysis products. Finally, it is highlighted that while analyte diffusion into the sensing film is critical in the design of fast, responsive sensing systems, it is an area that is currently not well studied.

Insight into organophosphate chemical warfare agent simulant hydrolysis in metal-organic frameworks

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous 3-dimensional crystalline structures that have shown promise for a variety of applications including adsorption, catalysis, and sensing. Modern warfare has placed chemical warfare agent (CWA) destruction at the forefront of chemical applications for MOFs. However, experiments involving CWAs can only be performed by a small number of highly trained individuals as they are extremely dangerous and available only to certain laboratories. As such, it is imperative that suitable chemical simulants and reaction conditions are determined for CWAs of interest. In this work, we determine the reaction rate for heterogeneous catalytic hydrolysis of eight commonly used G-agent simulants with zirconium-based MOFs. Of the simulants tested, only dimethyl chlorophosphate (DMCP), diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP), and dimethyl p-nitrophenylphosphate (DMNP) exhibit the ability to be catalytically hydrolyzed in a manner similar to the G-agents by the MOFs studied. Two different base-catalyzed reaction mechanisms are proposed for the hydrolysis reaction on the different MOF secondary building units, and the effect of pH and buffer properties is determined using an N-ethylmorpholine (NEM) buffer at pH 8-10 and a 3-(cyclohexylamino)-1-propanesulofinic acid (CAPS) buffer at pH 10-11.

Dual Role of Water in Heterogeneous Catalytic Hydrolysis of Sarin by Zirconium-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks

Recent experimental studies on Zr^IV-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown the extraordinary effectiveness of these porous materials for the detoxification of phosphorus-based chemical warfare agents (CWAs). However, pressing challenges remain with respect to characterizing these catalytic processes both at the molecular and crystalline levels. We here use theory to compare the reactivity of different zirconium-based MOFs for the catalytic hydrolysis of the CWA sarin, using both periodic and cluster modeling. We consider both hydrated and dehydrated secondary building units, as well as linker functionalized MOFs, to more fully understand and rationalize available experimental findings as well as to enable concrete predictions for achieving higher activities for the decomposition of CWAs.

A porous, electrically conductive hexa-zirconium(iv) metal-organic framework

Engendering electrical conductivity in high-porosity metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) promises to unlock the full potential of MOFs for electrical energy storage, electrocatalysis, or integration of MOFs with conventional electronic materials. Here we report that a porous zirconium-node-containing MOF, NU-901, can be rendered electronically conductive by physically encapsulating C60, an excellent electron acceptor, within a fraction (ca. 60%) of the diamond-shaped cavities of the MOF. The cavities are defined by node-connected tetra-phenyl-carboxylated pyrene linkers, i.e. species that are excellent electron donors. The bulk electrical conductivity of the MOF is shown to increase from immeasurably low to 10-3 S cm-1, following fullerene incorporation. The observed conductivity originates from electron donor-acceptor interactions, i.e. charge-transfer interactions - a conclusion that is supported by density functional theory calculations and by the observation of a charge-transfer-derived band in the electronic absorption spectrum of the hybrid material. Notably, the conductive version of the MOF retains substantial nanoscale porosity and continues to display a sizable internal surface area, suggesting potential future applications that capitalize on the ability of the material to sorb molecular species.

Revisiting the structural homogeneity of NU-1000, a Zr-based metal–organic framework

Synthesis and activation of phase-pure and defect-free metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are essential for establishing accurate structure–property relationships.