Structure and Dynamics of Zr6O8 Metal–Organic Framework Node Surfaces Probed with Ethanol Dehydration as a Catalytic Test Reaction

Computational Approach to Molecular Catalysis by 3d Transition Metals: Challenges and Opportunities

Computational chemistry provides a versatile toolbox for studying mechanistic details of catalytic reactions and holds promise to deliver practical strategies to enable the rational in silico catalyst design. The versatile reactivity and nontrivial electronic structure effects, common for systems based on 3d transition metals, introduce additional complexity that may represent a particular challenge to the standard computational strategies. In this review, we discuss the challenges and capabilities of modern electronic structure methods for studying the reaction mechanisms promoted by 3d transition metal molecular catalysts. Particular focus will be placed on the ways of addressing the multiconfigurational problem in electronic structure calculations and the role of expert bias in the practical utilization of the available methods. The development of density functionals designed to address transition metals is also discussed. Special emphasis is placed on the methods that account for solvation effects and the multicomponent nature of practical catalytic systems. This is followed by an overview of recent computational studies addressing the mechanistic complexity of catalytic processes by molecular catalysts based on 3d metals. Cases that involve noninnocent ligands, multicomponent reaction systems, metal-ligand and metal-metal cooperativity, as well as modeling complex catalytic systems such as metal-organic frameworks are presented. Conventionally, computational studies on catalytic mechanisms are heavily dependent on the chemical intuition and expert input of the researcher. Recent developments in advanced automated methods for reaction path analysis hold promise for eliminating such human-bias from computational catalysis studies. A brief overview of these approaches is presented in the final section of the review. The paper is closed with general concluding remarks.

Modulating the basicity of Zn-MOF-74 via cation exchange with calcium ions

The fine-tuning of MBBs in Zn-MOF-74 through post-synthetic cation exchange with Ca²⁺ significantly enhances its basicity. The resulting Ca/Zn-MOF-74 gives an improved product yield over Zn-MOF-74 and Ni/Zn-MOF-74 in Knoevenagel condensation.

Two unique copper cluster-based metal–organic frameworks with high performance for CO2 adsorption and separation

Two unique Cu cluster-based MOFs have been constructed. Compound 1 with high-density OMSs and LBSs exhibits high CO₂ separation ability.

Increasing topological diversity during computational “synthesis” of porous crystals: how and why

Effectively tuning the properties of porous crystals could lead to breakthroughs in areas such as molecular separation, chemical sensing, and catalysis.

Ultrasmall Ni nanoparticles embedded in Zr-based MOFs provide high selectivity for CO2 hydrogenation to methane at low temperatures

Highly monodisperse Ni NPs in UiO-66 give both excellent activity and selectivity for CO₂ methanation at low temperatures.

Three new Zn-based metal–organic frameworks exhibiting selective fluorescence sensing and photocatalytic activity

Three MOFs with different 2D networks have been crystallised in a one-pot solvothermal reaction. They all display high sensitivity in the detection of ACE and relatively good photocatalytic activity in the degradation of RhB.