Assembling of a novel 3D Ag(I)-MOFs with mixed ligands tactics: Syntheses, crystal structure and catalytic degradation of nitrophenol

Amine Functionalization of Channels of Metal-Organic Frameworks for Effective Chemical Fixation of Carbon Dioxide: A Comparative Study with Three Newly Designed Porous Networks

Catalytic transformation of CO2 into value-added chemical products can provide an appropriate solution for the raising environmental issues. To date, various metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with transition metal ions have been explored for CO2 capture and conversion, but alkaline earth metal-based MOFs are comparatively less studied. Metal ions like Sr(II) having relatively large radius give rise to a high coordination number resulting in higher stability of the MOFs. Moreover, the introduction of N-rich functional group in organic linker like -NH2, -CONH- and triazole into MOF backbone enhance their CO2 capture and conversion efficiency. Herein, the effect of amine group on the catalytic efficiency of MOFs for CO2 cycloaddition with epoxides under solvent free and ambient conditions are presented. The di-carboxylates, such as 5-aminoisophthalate (AmIP) and 5-bromoisophthalate (BrIP) were utilized to synthesize Sr(II) based MOFs. The Zn(II) MOF was synthesized using tetra-carboxylate containing amide spacer (OAT) and 4-amino-4H-1,2,4-triazole (AMT). All three MOFs exhibited porous networks with guest available volume ranging from 15 to 58 %. The catalytic efficiency of the MOFs towards carbon dioxide fixation reaction was explored. The catalytic performances revealed that the presence of amine group in the channels enhances the catalytic efficiency of the MOFs.

Construction of continuous flow catalytic reactor-HPLC system with ultrahigh catalytic activity using 2D nanoflower MOF-derived Cu2O/Cu/PDA/CF catalyst

Currently, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) derived materials have been widely concerned for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). However, complex recovery of powder catalysts and low utilization ratio of active sites make their application challenging. Herein, a novel Cu2O/Cu/PDA/CF catalyst has been developed for the rapid reduction of 4-NP to 4-aminophenol (4-AP). The catalyst was constructed by compositing a two-dimensional nanoflower MOF-derived nanoporous Cu2O/Cu network on a polydopamine (PDA)-modified porous copper foam by a mild and controllable in-situ reduction synthesis. Notably, an enhanced catalytic performance of Cu2O/Cu/PDA/CF was obtained for 4-NP reduction with a rate constant (k) of 0.8001 min-1, outperforming Cu/PDA/CF-X (X = 400, 500 and 600 ℃ pyrolysis temperature) catalysts (2.3-6.4 folds), and even many reported catalysts (2.3-46.5 folds). The ultrafast degradation of 4-NP was completed in 70 s. Moreover, an ingenious online continuous flow catalytic reactor (CFCR)-high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system was constructed for automatic and real-time monitoring of the reduction reaction. System stability experiments over 300 min revealed a surprisingly high reaction k value of 76.68 min-1 at low NaBH4 usage, significant increasing by 2-3 orders of magnitude compared with Cu2O/Cu/PDA/CF batch catalysis, due to the high aspect ratio of 2D nanoflower MOF and convection-accelerated mass transfer. This work offers new insights for the rational design of catalytic reactor and its potential application in wastewater treatment.

A zinc(II) complex based on 5-(ethylamino)isophthalic acid and trans-1,2-di(4-pyridyl)ethene with a threefold interpenetrated crystal structure: synthesis, crystal structure and room temperature phosphorescence

A coordination complex {[Zn(EtAIPA)(dpe)]·H2O} n (1), has been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions based on 5-(ethylamino)isophthalic acid (H2EtAIPA) and trans-1,2-di(4-pyridyl)ethene (dpe). The title complex was characterized by elemental analysis, UV/Vis absorption, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and emission properties. The as-prepared complex appears as a puckered 2D (4,4) network, The individual 2D nets are interlocked with each other to form a 3-fold parallel interpenetrated 2D architecture. Time-resolved measurements reveal cyan phosphorescence emission at room temperature.

Five Mesoporous Lanthanide Metal-Organic Frameworks: Syntheses, Structures, and Fluorescence Sensing of Fe3+, Cr2O72-, and H2O2 and Electrochemical Sensing of Trinitrophenol

When a multicarboxylate aromatic ligand, 3,5-di(2',4'-dicarboxylphenyl)benzoic acid (H₅L), was employed, five structurally similar lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs), {[Pr₁₀L₆(OH)₃Cl(H₂O)₆]·4C₂H₈N}_n (1), {[Nd₁₀L₆(OH)₄ (H₂O)₉]·4C₂H₈N}_n (2), {[Gd₁₀L₆(OH)₄(H₂O)₃]·4C₂H₈N}_n (3), {[Ho₁₀L₆(OH)₄ (H₂O)₃]·4C₂H₈N}_n (4) and {[Er₁₀L₆(OH)₄(H₂O)₆]·4C₂H₈N}_n (5), were synthesized and characterized. Single-crystal X-ray structural analyses disclosed that all five Ln-MOFs crystallize in the trigonal R₃ space group. They have three-dimensional mesoporous structure featuring the coexistence of binuclear and tetranuclear species as inorganic building units. The mesoporous structure of 3 was verified by the gas adsorption experiment of N₂. Fluorescence analysis showed that 3 can selectively detect Fe³⁺, Cr₂O₇^2-, and H₂O₂; furthermore, it can be used for the electrochemical detection of trinitrophenol. With the merit of an excellent highly sensitive detection performance, 3 has unpredictable application prospects in future research fields.

Silver(I) metal-organic framework-embedded polylactic acid electrospun fibrous membranes for efficient inhibition of bacteria

With recent outbreaks of fatal strains of diseases and the emergency of antibiotic resistance, there is a pressing demand to discover bactericidal materials that can effectively reduce or prevent infections by pathogenic bacteria. Herein, silver(I) metal organic frameworks Ag₂(HBTC) were embedded into biocompatible polylactic acid (PLA) fibrous membranes through an electrospinning process as an antibiotic-free material for effective bacterial killing. The as-synthesized Ag₂(HBTC)/PLA composite membrane showed an inactivation efficiency of more than 99.9% against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) at a concentration of 200-250 mg L^-1. Mechanistic investigation indicated that the steady release of Ag⁺ ions and ˙OH generation from the composites contributed to the efficient antibacterial activities through irreversible damage to the bacterial cell membranes. In-depth proteomic analysis demonstrated that Ag₂(HBTC)/PLA exerted a biological effect towards bacterial cells through down-regulating functional proteins, thereby destroying the central biochemical pathways of the cellular energy metabolism process, reducing resistance to oxidative damage and inhibiting cell division. In general, this study shows a promising perspective on designing MOF/PLA membranes with broad-spectrum disinfection capability for potential environmental sterilization and public healthcare protection.

Investigation on the catalytic behavior of a novel thulium-organic framework with a planar tetranuclear {Tm4} cluster as the active center for chemical CO2 fixation

Herein, the exquisite combination of coplanar [Tm₄(CO₂)₁₀(μ₃-OH)₂(μ₂-HCO₂)(OH₂)₂] clusters ({Tm₄}) and structure-oriented functional BDCP^5- leads to the highly robust nanoporous {Tm₄}-organic framework {(Me₂NH₂)[Tm₄(BDCP)₂(μ₃-OH)₂(μ₂-HCO₂)(H₂O)₂]·7DMF·5H₂O}_n (NUC-37, H₅BDCP = 2,6-bis(2,4-dicarboxylphenyl)-4-(4-carboxylphenyl)pyridine). To the best of our knowledge, NUC-37 is the first anionic {Ln₄}-based three-dimensional framework with embedded hierarchical microporous and nanoporous channels, among which each larger one is shaped by six rows of coplanar {Tm₄} clusters and characterized by plentiful coexisting Lewis acid-base sites on the inner wall including open Tm^III sites, N_pyridine atoms, μ₃-OH and μ₂-HCO₂. Catalytic experimental studies exhibit that NUC-37 possesses highly selective catalytic activity on the cycloaddition of epoxides with CO₂ as well as high recyclability under gentle conditions, which should be ascribed to its nanoscale channels, rich bifunctional active sites, and stable physicochemical properties. This work offers an effective means for synthesizing productive cluster-based Ln-MOF catalysts by employing structure-oriented ligands and controlling the solvothermal reaction conditions.

Effect of Different Synthesis Approaches on Structural and Thermal Properties of Lanthanide(III) Metal–Organic Frameworks Based on the 1H-Pyrazole-3,5-Dicarboxylate Linker

The impact of different synthetic procedures such as: hydrothermal, mechanochemical and precipitation on the structure and thermal properties of coordination polymers of 1H-pyrazole-3,5-dicarboxylic acid (H3pdca) with selected lanthanide ions was determined. The prepared complexes of the general formula: Ln2(Hpdca)3⋅nH2O, where Ln = Eu(III), Nd(III), Tb(III) and Er(III); n = 6 or 7 were fully investigated by: elemental analysis, Energy-Dispersive X-Ray (ED-XRF) and infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, powder as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods and thermal analysis (TG-DSC and TG-FTIR) in various atmospheres. It was proved that all used strategies offer high yields of reactions along with crystallinity of the obtained products. The X-ray diffraction methods allowed to conclude that the complexes with the same metal ions exhibit the same crystal structure despite different synthesis routes. On the other hand, the coordination polymers of Eu(III), Tb(III) and Er(III) prepared under different conditions are isomorphous. Only neodymium(III) compounds have a different crystal structure. Thermal stability of the produced complexes was correlated with the synthesis conditions, in particular with the way of energy supply. It was found that the highest thermal stability was exhibited by the complexes prepared under the hydrothermal conditions. Additionally, based on the volatile products of metal complexes decomposition, the mechanism of their pyrolysis was proposed in relation to their structures.

Silver enriched silver phosphate microcubes as an efficient recyclable SERS substrate for the detection of heavy metal ions

A rapid, cost-effective and accurate detection of heavy metal ions is crucial for human health monitoring and environmental protection. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has become a reliable method due to its outstanding performance for the identification of contaminants. In this paper, silver phosphate microcubes (Ag₃PO₄) were fabricated using two different precipitation methods for ultrasensitive SERS detection of heavy metal ions. The use of an organic linker (BPy) with Ag₃PO₄ enabled the immobilization of Hg²⁺ and Pb²⁺ ions. The formation of Ag₃PO₄ was confirmed by XRD, UV-DRS, FESEM coupled with EDX and HRTEM. The analytical enhancement factor (AEF) obtained was 10¹⁰ with a detection limit of 10^-15 M indicating high sensitivity. Based on these results, the possible SERS mechanism has been proposed and discussed. Moreover, an excellent reusability of Ag₃PO₄ substrate for at least four cycles was achieved upon the light exposure on heavy metal loaded substrate due to its superior catalytic ability for the degradation of heavy metal ions. The as-prepared substrate demonstrated remarkable stability, selectivity and SERS sensitivity towards real samples. The results conclude that Ag₃PO₄ microcubes offer a great prospect in recyclable SERS applications.

Hierarchical ZIF-decorated nanoflower-covered 3-dimensional foam for enhanced catalytic reduction of nitrogen-containing contaminants

Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) represent a promising class of metallic catalysts for reduction of nitrogen-containing contaminants (NCCs), such as 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). Nevertheless, most researches involving MOFs for 4-NP reduction employ noble metals in the form of fine powders, making these powdered noble metal-based MOFs impractical and inconvenient for realistic applications. Thus, it would be critical to develop non-noble-metal MOFs which can be incorporated into macroscale and porous supports for convenient applications. Herein, the present study proposes to develop a composite material which combines advantageous features of macroscale/porous supports, and nanoscale functionality of MOFs. In particular, copper foam (CF) is selected as a macroscale porous medium, which is covered by nanoflower-structured CoO to increase surfaces for growing a cobaltic MOF, ZIF-67. The resultant composite comprises of CF covered by CoO nanoflowers decorated with ZIF-67 to form a hierarchical 3D-structured catalyst, enabling this ZIF-67@Cu foam (ZIF@CF) a promising catalyst for reducing 4-NP, and other NCCs. Thus, ZIF@CF can readily reduce 4-NP to 4-AP with a significantly lower E_a of 20 kJ/mol than reported values. ZIF@CF could be reused over 10 cycles and remain highly effective for 4-NP reduction. ZIF@CF also efficiently reduces other NCCs, such as 2-nitrophenol, 3-nitrophenol, methylene blue, and methyl orange. ZIF@CF can be adopted as catalytic filters to enable filtration-type reduction of NCCs by passing NCC solutions through ZIF@CF to promptly and conveniently reduce NCCs. The versatile and advantageous catalytic activity of ZIF@CF validates that ZIF@CF is a promising and practical heterogeneous catalyst for reductive treatments of NCCs.

Template-Induced {Mn2}-Organic Framework with Lewis Acid-Base Canals as a Highly Efficient Heterogeneous Catalyst for Chemical Fixation of CO2 and Knoevenagel Condensation

The target for the self-assembly of functional microporous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) could be realized by employing ligand-directed and/or template-induced strategies, which prompted us to explore the synthetic technique of d¹⁰ secondary-building-unit-based nanoporous frameworks. Here, the exquisite combination of a paddle-wheel [Mn₂(CO₂)₆(OH₂)₂] cluster and a TDP^6- ligand contributes one robust honeycomb framework of {(Me₂NH₂)₂[Mn₂(TDP)(H₂O)₂]·3H₂O·3DMF}_n (NUC-31; DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide), whose activated state with the removal of associated aqueous molecules characterizes the outstanding physicochemical properties of nanochannels, penta- and tetracoordinated Mn²⁺ serving as highly open metal sites, rich Lewis base sites (rows of C═O groups and N_pyridine atoms), and excellent thermal stability. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that Lewis acid-base sites on the inner surface of the channels in activated NUC-31 successfully form one unprecedented canal-shaped acid-base confined space with evenly distributed open metal sites of Mn²⁺ and N_pyridine atoms as the canal bottom as well as two rows of C═O groups serving as dyke dams. Catalytic experiments displayed that activated NUC-31 could serve as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the chemical fixation of CO₂ with epoxides into cyclic carbonates under mild conditions. Furthermore, NUC-31 could effectively catalyze the reaction Knoevenagel condensation, which should be ascribed to the synergistic polarization effect aroused from its plentiful Lewis base sites in the confined channel space. Hence, these results demonstrate that the employment of ligand-directed and template-dependent strategies could overcome the self-assembled barriers of functional microporous MOFs and achieve unexpected frameworks.

V═O Functionalized {Tm2}-Organic Framework Designed by Postsynthesis Modification for Catalytic Chemical Fixation of CO2 and Oxidation of Mustard Gas

In terms of recently documented references, the introduction of V═O units into porous MOF/COF frameworks can greatly improve their original performance and expand their application prospects due to a change in their electronegativity. In this work, by a cation-exchange strategy, a consummate combination of separate 4f [Tm₂(CO₂)₈] SBUs and 3d [V^IVO(H₂O)₂] units generated the functionalized porous metal-organic framework {(Me₂NH₂)₂[VO(H₂O)][Tm₂(BDCP)₂]·3DMF·3H₂O}_n (NUC-11), in which [Tm₂(CO₂)₈] SBUs constitute the fundamental 3D host framework of {[Tm₂](BDCP)₂}_n along with [V^IVO(H₂O)₂] units being further docked on the inner wall of channels by covalent bonds. Significantly, NUC-11 represents the first example of V═O modified porous MOFs, in which uncoordinated carboxylic groups (-CO₂H) further grasp the functional [V^IVO(H₂O)₂] units on the initial basic skeleton along with the formation of covalent bonds as fixed ropes. Furthermore, activated samples of NUC-11 displayed a good catalytic performance for the chemical synthesis of carbonates from related epoxides and CO₂ with high conversion rate. Moreover, by employing NUC-11 as a catalyst, a simulator of mustard gas, 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide, could be quickly and efficiently oxidized into low-toxicity products of oxidized sulfoxide (CEESO). Thus, this study offers a brand new view for the design and synthesis of functional-units-modified porous MOFs, which could be potentially applied as an excellent candidate in the growing field of efficient catalysis.

2D and 3D silver-based coordination polymers with thiomorpholine-4-carbonitrile and piperazine-1,4-dicarbonitrile: structure, intermolecular interactions, photocatalysis, and thermal behavior

The reaction of the thiomorpholine-4-carbonitrile and piperazine-1,4-dicarbonitrile ligands afforded four Ag(i) coordination polymers with excellent photocatalytic activity in the degradation of the mordant blue 9 dye.

Donor–acceptor structure of a coordination polymer with long-lived room temperature phosphorescence and angle-dependent polarized emission

The formation of a donor–acceptor structure in a coordination polymer results in a long room temperature phosphorescence lifetime (40.22 ms) three orders of magnitude higher than that of pristine phosphor.

An excellent thermostable dual-functionalized 3D fsx-type Cd(ii) MOF for the highly selective detection of Fe3+ ions and ten nitroaromatic explosives

A 3D fsx-type thermostable MOF was designed and synthesized for the highly selective detection of Fe3+ ions and ten nitroaromatic explosives.

The highly selective detecting of antibiotics and support of noble metal catalysts by a multifunctional Eu-MOF

Designing novel multifunctional rare-earth metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has attracted intensive attention. In particular, employing such materials for sensing or catalytic reactions is still very challenging. Here, a new 3D porous Eu(iii)-MOF, [Eu(cppa)(OH)]·xS (denoted as CTGU-19, S = solvent molecule, CTGU = China Three Gorges University), was synthesized by using 5-(4-carboxyphenyl)picolinic acid (H2cppa) as an organic ligand, and it shows a 3D (3,12)-connected topological net with the point symbol (420·628·818)(43)4, constructed from cubane-shaped tetranuclear europium building units. Interestingly, CTGU-19 can be used as a highly sensitive luminescent sensor to identify ornidazole (ODZ) and nitrofurantoin (NFT) at different excitation wavelengths. This result represents the first example of a lanthanide-metal-organic-framework (Eu-MOF) that can be employed as a discriminating fluorescent probe to recognize ODZ and NFT at different excitation wavelengths. Furthermore, after loading CTGU-19 with Ag and/or Au nanoparticles, the composites exhibit efficient catalytic performance for reducing 2-/3-/4-nitrophenols (2-/3-/4-NP), in which the unit mass reduction rate constants of Ag0.8Au0.2@CTGU-19 for 2-NP, 3-NP, and 4-NP reach 68.8, 53.80, and 52.34 s-1 g-1, respectively.

Rational synthesis of an ultra-stable Zn(ii) coordination polymer based on a new tripodal pyrazole ligand for the highly sensitive and selective detection of Fe3+ and Cr2O72- in aqueous media

A mixed-ligand strategy has been used to construct stable luminescent coordination polymers (CPs). An ultra-stable Zn(ii) coordination polymer, [Zn(H3tpb)(Hbtc)]n (1) was hydrothermally synthesized by employing a new tripodal pyrazole ligand H3tpb and a classical carboxylic ligand H3btc (H3tpb = 1,3,5-tris(pyrazolyl)benzene, H3btc = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid). Complex 1 exhibits a 2D sql network. Importantly, 1 not only possesses excellent thermal stability but also shows superior chemical stability in terms of water resistance, acid/base aqueous solutions tolerance (pH = 2-12), and organic solvents resistance. This excellent structural stability was further illustrated from the perspective of thermal decomposition kinetics. The luminescence properties were investigated, showing that complex 1 displays high sensitivity and selectivity for detecting Fe3+ and Cr2O72- ions in aqueous solutions via luminescence quenching effects.

In situ semi-transformation from heterometallic MOFs to Fe-Ni LDH/MOF hierarchical architectures for boosted oxygen evolution reaction

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with large surface area, abundant coordination metal centers and tunable structures are regarded as promising electrocatalysts for the water splitting reaction. However, the less accessible active sites and poor stability of MOFs hinder their potential practical applications. Hierarchical double-layer hydroxide (LDH)/MOF electrocatalysts that combine the advantages of two materials are expected to overcome these drawbacks. Herein, we develop a simple and universal strategy, in situ pseudomorphic transformation, to construct hierarchical LDH/MOF electrocatalysts. Accordingly, ultra-thin Fe-Ni LDH nanosheets are in situ produced in the heterometallic MOF during the transformation process. Profiting from the abundant metal sites and the extended electron transport channel from the inserted ultra-thin LDH arrays, the hierarchical Fe-Ni LDH/MOFs exhibit striking electrochemical activities for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In particular, the as-synthesized Fe-Ni LDH/MOF-b2 delivers the best OER performance, exhibiting an ultralow overpotential (255 mV at 10 mA cm^-2), minimum Tafel slope (24 mV dec^-1) and outstanding cycling durability. Meanwhile, the evolution process of the hierarchical Fe-Ni LDH/MOF has been monitored with the controllable in situ semi-transformation strategy. This also provides an opportunity to decipher the original active species for the OER process. Mechanism analysis indicates that the bimetallic MOF and bimetallic LDH are both active species, and the excellent OER performance of hierarchical Fe-Ni LDH/MOF could be attributed to the effect of "a whole greater than the sum of the parts".

Smart Biomimetic Nanocomposites Mediate Mitochondrial Outcome through Aerobic Glycolysis Reprogramming: A Promising Treatment for Lymphoma

Toxicity and drug resistance caused by chemotherapeutic drugs have become bottlenecks in treating tumors. The delivery of anticancer drugs based on nanocarriers is regarded as an ideal way to solve the aforementioned problems. In this study, a new antilymphoma nanodrug CD20 aptamer-RBCm@Ag-MOFs/PFK15 (A-RAMP) is designed and constructed, and it consists of two parts: (1) metal-organic frameworks Ag-MOFs (AM) loaded with tumor aerobic glycolysis inhibitor PFK15 (P), forming a core part (AMP); (2) targeted molecule CD20 aptamer (A) is inserted into the red blood cell membrane (RBCm) to form the shell part (A-R). A-RAMP under the guidance of CD20 aptamer actively targets B-cell lymphoma both in vitro and in vivo. As a result, A-RAMP not only significantly inhibits the effect on tumor growth but also shows no obvious side effects on the treated nude mice, indicating that A-RAMP can accurately target tumor cells, reprogram aerobic glycolysis, and exert synergistic antitumor effect by Ag⁺ and PFK 15. Furthermore, the antitumor mechanism of A-RAMP in vivo by apoptotic pathway and targeting metabonomics are explored. These results suggest that A-RAMP has a promising application prospect as an smart, safe, effective, and synergistic antilymphoma agent.

Structural diversity of metal-organic frameworks based on a chalcone dicarboxylic acid ligand

Using chalcone dicarboxylic acid ligands, three different metal-organic frameworks have been successfully obtained. Interestingly, structural diversity has been observed. The difference between compounds 2 and 3 is the inconsistent orientation of the adjacent binuclear Cd clusters. In addition, the photocatalytic properties of compounds 1 and 2 for the degradation of several organic dyes have been explored.

The fixation of CO2 by epoxides over nickel-pyrazolate-based metal–organic frameworks

Ni-based MOFs with Lewis acid sites was developed for CO₂ fixation with epoxides into cyclic carbonates, and a comparative study shows that the density and accessibility of the Lewis acid sites in the MOFs greatly influence the catalytic performance.