Assembly of new polyoxometalate–templated metal–organic frameworks based on flexible ligands

Metal Organic Frameworks as Heterogeneous Catalysts in Olefin Epoxidation and Carbon Dioxide Cycloaddition

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a family of porous crystalline materials that serve in some cases as versatile platforms for catalysis. In this review, we overview the recent developments about the use of these species as heterogeneous catalysts in olefin epoxidation and carbon dioxide cycloaddition. We report the most important results obtained in this field relating them to the presence of specific organic linkers, metal nodes or clusters and mixed-metal species. Recent advances obtained with MOF nanocomposites were also described. Finally we compare the results and summarize the major insights in specific Tables, outlining the major challenges for this emerging field. This work could promote new research aimed at producing coordination polymers and MOFs able to catalyse a broader range of CO2 consuming reactions.

Thermogravimetric Analysis and Mass Spectrometry Allow for Determination of Chemisorbed Reaction Products on Metal Organic Frameworks

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is a technique which can probe chemisorption of substrates onto metal organic frameworks. A TGA method was developed to examine the catalytic oxidation of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) by the MOF H₃[(Cu₄Cl)₃(BTTri)₈] (abbr. Cu-BTTri; H₃BTTri = 1,3,5-tris(1H-1,2,3-triazol-5-yl)benzene), yielding glutathione disulfide (GSSG) and nitric oxide (NO). Thermal analysis of reduced glutathione (GSH), GSSG, GSNO, and Cu-BTTri revealed thermal resolution of all four analytes through different thermal onset temperatures and weight percent changes. Two reaction systems were probed: an aerobic column flow reaction and an anaerobic solution batch reaction with gas agitation. In both systems, Cu-BTTri was reacted with a 1 mM GSH, GSSG, or GSNO solution, copiously rinsed with distilled-deionized water (dd-H₂O), dried (25 °C, < 1 Torr), and assessed by TGA. Additionally, stock, effluent or supernatant, and rinse solutions for each glutathione derivative within each reaction system were assessed by mass spectrometry (MS) to inform on chemical transformations promoted by Cu-BTTri as well as relative analyte concentrations. Both reaction systems exhibited chemisorption of glutathione derivatives to the MOF by TGA. Mass spectrometry analyses revealed that in both systems, GSH was oxidized to GSSG, which chemisorbed to the MOF whereas GSSG remained unchanged during chemisorption. For GSNO, chemisorption to the MOF without reaction was observed in the aerobic column setup, whereas conversion to GSSG and subsequent chemisorption was observed in the anaerobic batch setup. These findings suggest that within this reaction system, GSSG is the primary adsorbent of concern with regards to strong binding to Cu-BTTri. Development of similar thermal methods could allow for the probing of MOF reactivity for a wide range of systems, informing on important considerations such as reduced catalytic efficiency from poisoning, recyclability, and loading capacities of contaminants or toxins with MOFs.

Architectural chemistry of polyoxometalate-based coordination frameworks constructed from flexible N-donor ligands

Polyoxometalate-based coordination frameworks (POMCFs) constructed from flexible N-donor ligands can exhibit diverse properties and fascinating architectures, extending the families of material chemistry and structural chemistry.