Competitive Coordination Strategy to Finely Tune Pore Environment of Zirconium-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks

A robust and porous titanium metal-organic framework for gas adsorption, CO2 capture and conversion

A robust and porous titanium metal-organic framework (Ti-MOF; LCU-402) has been hydrothermally synthesized through combining a tetranuclear Ti2Ca2(μ3-O)2(μ2-H2O)1.3(H2O)4(O2C-)8 cluster and a tritopic 1,3,5-benzene(tris)benzoic (BTB) ligand. LCU-402 shows remarkable stability and permanent porosity for CO2, CH4, C2H2, C2H4, and C2H6 gas adsorption. Moreover, LCU-402 as a heterogeneous catalyst can smoothly convert CO2 under a simulated flue atmosphere into organic carbonate molecules by cycloaddition reactions of CO2 and epoxides, indicating that LCU-402 might be a promising catalyst candidate in practical applications. We are confident that the identification of a persistent titanium-oxo building unit would accelerate the development of new porous Ti-MOF materials.

Metal-Organic Frameworks and Their Composites for Environmental Applications

From the point of view of the ecological environment, contaminants such as heavy metal ions or toxic gases have caused harmful impacts on the environment and human health, and overcoming these adverse effects remains a serious and important task. Very recent, highly crystalline porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with tailorable chemistry and excellent chemical stability, have shown promising properties in the field of removing various hazardous pollutants. This review concentrates on the recent progress of MOFs and MOF-based materials and their exploit in environmental applications, mainly including water treatment and gas storage and separation. Finally, challenges and trends of MOFs and MOF-based materials for future developments are discussed and explored.

A novel 3D terbium metal-organic framework as a heterogeneous Lewis acid catalyst for the cyanosilylation of aldehyde

A novel 3D lanthanide(iii) metal-organic framework (MOF) (namely Tb-MOF), was synthesized by self-assembly from Tb(iii) ion nitrate and the rigid organic ligand H₂sbdc (H₂sbdc = 5,5-dioxo-5H-dibenzo[b,d]thiophene-3,7-dicarboxylic acid), and could work as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the cyanosilylation of aromatic aldehydes at room temperature. The obtained Tb-MOF has been characterized and analysed in detail by single crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and so on. The pores of Tb-MOF provided a microenvironment that was beneficial for the substrates to be close to the Lewis acid catalytic sites. The IR spectrogram and the fluorescence titration proved that the substrates could be activated inside the channel of Tb-MOF. The heterogeneous Tb-MOF catalyst with fine catalytic efficiency exhibited a high TON (TON = 460), and could be recycled at least three times without significantly reducing its activity.

Photocatalytic nitrogen fixation of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) excited by ultraviolet light: insights into the nitrogen fixation mechanism of missing metal cluster or linker defects

The vacancies of semiconductors have proven to be effective active sites for photocatalytic nitrogen fixation, but what about the role of defects in MOF materials? Herein, we report the first UiO-66 with photo-excited cluster defects and linker defects for photocatalytic nitrogen fixation. It was determined through the post-synthetic ligand exchange (PSE) process that the linker defects, rather than cluster defects, can greatly improve the performance, which is due to linker defects forming unsaturated metal nodes such as the vacancy in a semiconductor. Specifically, for photo-activated UiO-66, the NH4+ production rate was 196 and 68 μmol g-1 h-1 in air atmosphere under ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) and visible light, respectively. This report provides a new effective strategy to design efficient nitrogen fixation photocatalysts.

Metal-Organic Frameworks for Drug Delivery: A Design Perspective

The use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in biomedical applications has greatly expanded over the past decade due to the precision tunability, high surface areas, and high loading capacities of MOFs. Specifically, MOFs are being explored for a wide variety of drug delivery applications. Initially, MOFs were used for delivery of small-molecule pharmaceuticals; however, more recent work has focused on macromolecular cargos, such as proteins and nucleic acids. Here, we review the historical application of MOFs for drug delivery, with a specific focus on the available options for designing MOFs for specific drug delivery applications. These options include choices of MOF structure, synthetic method, and drug loading. Further considerations include tuning, modifications, biocompatibility, cellular targeting, and uptake. Altogether, this Review aims to guide MOF design for novel biomedical applications.

A historical perspective on porphyrin-based metal-organic frameworks and their applications

Porphyrins are important molecules widely found in nature in the form of enzyme active sites and visible light absorption units. Recent interest in using these functional molecules as building blocks for the construction of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have rapidly increased due to the ease in which the locations of, and the distances between, the porphyrin units can be controlled in these porous crystalline materials. Porphyrin-based MOFs with atomically precise structures provide an ideal platform for the investigation of their structure-function relationships in the solid state without compromising accessibility to the inherent properties of the porphyrin building blocks. This review will provide a historical overview of the development and applications of porphyrin-based MOFs from early studies focused on design and structures, to recent efforts on their utilization in biomimetic catalysis, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, sensing, and biomedical applications.

Enhancing CO2 Electrocatalysis on 2D Porphyrin-Based Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets Coupled with Visible-Light

2D catalysts combined with single atom sites are promising candidates to promote CO₂ reduction performance, but the ability to target stable materials with distinct structure still remains challenging. Herein, a series of single metal atoms anchored 2D metal-organic framework nanosheets (MOF-NS-M) with visualized and well-ordered mesoporous structures are fabricated and exhibit enhanced CO₂ reduction activity and selectivity with the assistance of visible-light. Encouragingly, the CO Faradaic efficiency of MOF-NS-Co exceeds 90% in a wide potential window of -0.5 to -1.0 V versus RHE and reaches 98.7% with 100 mV positive shift compared with the result measured under dark. The catalytic kinetics studies show a fast initial electron transfer to CO₂ to form *COO^- , thanks to the sufficient exposed active sites resulting from the nanosheet nature and adjusted electron transfer pathway caused by the porphyrin photoswitch.

Charge-Separated and Lewis Paired Metal-Organic Framework for Anion Exchange and CO2 Chemical Fixation

Charge-separated metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a unique class of MOFs that can possess added properties originating from the exposed ionic species. A new charge-separated MOF, namely, UNM-6 synthesized from a tetrahedral borate ligand and Co²⁺ cation is reported herein. UNM-6 crystalizes into the highly symmetric P43n space group with fourfold interpenetration, despite the stoichiometric imbalance between the B and Co atoms, which also leads to loosely bound NO₃ ^- anions within the crystal structure. These NO₃ ^- ions can be quantitatively exchanged with various other anions, leading to Lewis acid (Co²⁺ ) and Lewis base (anions) pairs within the pores and potentially cooperative catalytic activities. For example, UNM-6-Br, the MOF after anion exchange with Br^- anions, displays high catalytic activity and stability in reactions of CO₂ chemical fixation into cyclic carbonates.

Triplet-Triplet Annihilation Upconversion in a MOF with Acceptor-Filled Channels

Photon upconversion has enjoyed increased interest in the last years due to its high potential for solar-energy harvesting and bioimaging. A challenge for triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) processes is to realize these features in solid materials without undesired phase segregation and detrimental dye aggregation. To achieve this, we combine a palladium porphyrin sensitizer and a 9,10-diphenylanthracene annihilator within a crystalline mesoporous metal-organic framework using an inverted design. In this modular TTA system, the framework walls constitute the fixed sensitizer, while caprylic acid coats the channels providing a solventlike environment for the mobile annihilator in the channels. The resulting solid material shows green-to-blue delayed upconverted emission with a luminescence lifetime of 373±5 μs, a threshold value of 329 mW cm-2 and a triplet-triplet energy transfer efficiency of 82 %. The versatile design allows straightforward changing of the acceptor amount and type.

Formation of CX Bonds in CO2 Chemical Fixation Catalyzed by Metal-Organic Frameworks

Transformation of CO₂ based on metal-organic framework (MOF) catalysts is becoming a hot research topic, not only because it will help to reduce greenhouse gas emission, but also because it will allow for the production of valuable chemicals. In addition, a large number of impressive products have been synthesized by utilizing CO₂ . In fact, it is the formation of new covalent bonds between CO₂ and substrate molecules that successfully result in CO₂ solidly inserting into the products, and only four types of new CX bonds, including CH, CC, CN, and CO bonds, are observed in this exploration. An overview of recent progress in constructing CX bonds for CO₂ conversion catalyzed by various MOF catalysts is provided. The catalytic mechanism of generating different CX bonds is further discussed according to both structural features of MOFs and the interactions among CO₂ , substrates, as well as MOFs. The future opportunities and challenges in this field are also tentatively covered.

2-Methylimidazole assisted ultrafast synthesis of carboxylate-based metal-organic framework nano-structures in aqueous medium at room temperature

Carboxylate-based metal-organic frameworks (CMOFs) have received considerable attentions for their high stability, catalytic activity, and porosity. However, synthesis of CMOFs requires high temperature, pressure, and long reaction time. Here, we explored the activity of 2-methylimidazole (2-MIM) for ultrafast synthesis of CMOF nanostructures (CMOFNs), in aqueous medium at room temperature and reaction time of 10 min. Seven CMOFNs have been synthesized by using Al³⁺, Cr³⁺, Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, In³⁺, or Cd²⁺ salt and 1,4-bezenedicarboxylic acid, or 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid. Through this technique, the CMOFs with space time yield 181-501 kg m^-3 day^-1 and crystal sizes of ca. 200-700 nm was obtained.

Highly Stable Chiral Zirconium-Metallosalen Frameworks for CO2 Conversion and Asymmetric C-H Azidation

The engineering of highly stable metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) will unveil the intrinsic potential of these materials for practical applications, especially for heterogeneous catalyzes. However, it is fairly challenging to rationally design robust MOFs serving as highly effective and reusable heterogeneous catalysts. Here, for the first time, we report the construction of four robust UiO-type chiral zirconium-metallosalen frameworks, denoted ZSF-1-4. Single-crystal X-ray-diffraction reveals that the frameworks consist of twelve-connected Zr₆O₈ clusters with privileged chiral metallosalen ligands anchored at ideal positions, generating confined chiral cages that enable synergistic activation. Unlike UiO-68 that is highly sensitive to aqueous solutions, ZSF-1-4 exhibit excellent chemical stability in aqueous solutions with a wide range of pH owing to the abundant hydrophobic groups within metallosalen ligands. These features render ZSF-1 and ZSF-2 to be excellent recycled heterogeneous catalysts for the conversion of imitated industrial CO₂ with epoxides into cyclic carbonates with the highest reported turnover numbers in Zr-MOFs. With regard to asymmetric catalysis, ZSF-3 and ZSF-4 can effectively catalyze C-H azidation reaction in water medium with ee value up to 94%. Moreover, these robust ZSFs can be further extended to other analogues with various metal centers through demetallization-remetallization strategy, which renders them to be an excellent platform for broader fields.

Ultrathin 2D Zirconium Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets: Preparation and Application in Photocatalysis

Synthesizing ultrathin 2D metal-organic framework nanosheets in high yields has received increasing research interest but remains a great challenge. In this work, ultrathin zirconium-porphyrinic metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets with thickness down to ≈1.5 nm are synthesized through a pseudoassembly-disassembly strategy. Owing to the their unique properties originating from their ultrathin thickness and highly exposed active sites, the as-prepared ultrathin nanosheets exhibit far superior photocatalysis performance compared to the corresponding bulk MOF. This work highlights new opportunities in designing ultrathin MOF nanosheets and paves the way to expand the potential applications of MOFs.

Zirconium-Porphyrin-Based Metal-Organic Framework Hollow Nanotubes for Immobilization of Noble-Metal Single Atoms

Single atoms immobilized on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with unique nanostructures have drawn tremendous attention in the application of catalysis but remain a great challenge. Various single noble-metal atoms have now been successfully anchored on the well-defined anchoring sites of the zirconium porphyrin MOF hollow nanotubes, which are probed by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron-radiation-based X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy. Owing to the hollow structure and excellent photoelectrochemical performance, the HNTM-Ir/Pt exhibits outstanding catalytic activity in the visible-light photocatalytic H₂ evolution via water splitting. The single atom immobilized on MOFs with hollow structures are expected to pave the way to expand the potential applications of MOFs.

Development of Isostructural Porphyrin-Salen Chiral Metal-Organic Frameworks through Postsynthetic Metalation Based on Single-Crystal to Single-Crystal Transformation

The development of well-defined multimetallic porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) will add a new dimension to the application of MOF catalysis. From this perspective, the understanding and tailoring of the catalytic metal sites in MOFs are key fundamental challenges that could reveal the intrinsic potential of these materials. In this work, a series of porphyrin-salen chiral MOFs (ps-CMOFs 2-7) have been synthesized through postsynthetic metalation (PSMet) of the parent ps-CMOF via single-crystal to single-crystal transformation. Crystal structures of these ps-CMOF analogues revealed the same topological structure but varied metal entities compared to those of the parent framework. Note that the PSMet process involves three methods involving cation exchange at the nodes, cation exchange at the metalated porphyrin, and cation addition at the free porphyrin, which has been systematically investigated using single-crystal X-ray diffraction and other physicochemical methods. The N₂ adsorption tests, thermogravimetric analysis, and powder X-ray diffraction of 2-7 showed curves or patterns similar to those of 1, indicating the maintenance of the crystallinity, porosity, and thermal stability of the framework during the PSMet process. In addition, 2-7 showed distinctly improved adsorption capacities and isosteric heats of adsorption (Q_st) for CO₂ compared to those of their parent counterpart. Lastly, as a representative example of the ps-CMOF catalytic platform, 5 proved to be an efficient recyclable heterogeneous catalyst for the asymmetric addition reaction of CO₂ with epoxides under mild conditions. Furthermore, because of the constrained chiral environment within ps-CMOF, the enantioselectivity of this reaction appears to be dependent on substrate size.

A highly stable MnII phosphonate as a highly efficient catalyst for CO2 fixation under ambient conditions

A highly stable microporous Mn^II phosphonate is rationally designed and it exhibits highly efficient performance in the context of CO₂ chemical conversion into cyclic carbonates under ambient conditions.

Fast and scalable synthesis of uniform zirconium-, hafnium-based metal-organic framework nanocrystals

Metal-organic frameworks based on zirconium or hafnium possess tantalizing commercial prospects due to their high stability but require a long reaction time to form crystals. The fast synthesis of uniform Zr-, Hf-MOF nanocrystals at scale is of key importance in the potential commercial application of MOFs. In this work, we have developed a versatile strategy through controlling the hydrolysis and nucleation of metal salts in the presence of acetic acid and water; up to 24 grams of UiO-66-NH₂ nanocrystals with a uniform octahedron could be synthesized within 15 minutes using a one step method. The current synthetic strategy could be extended to other Zr-, Hf-MOF nanocrystals [UiO-66-Fast, UiO-66-(OH)₂-Fast, UiO-66-2,6-NDC-Fast, UiO-67-Fast, BUT-12-Fast, PCN-222-Ni-Fast, PCN-222-Co-Fast, Hf-UiO-66-Fast, Hf-UiO-66-NH₂-Fast, Hf-UiO-66-(OH)₂-Fast, Hf-UiO-66-2,6-NDC-Fast and Hf-BUT-12-Fast]. Significantly, when noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) are introduced into MOF precursors, NPs encapsulated in MOFs with excellent dispersion have also been obtained and show outstanding performance in catalysis. This facile procedure is expected to pave the way to expand the commercial applications of MOFs.