Two Structurally Similar Co5 Cluster-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks Containing Open Metal Sites for Efficient C2H2/CO2 Separation

To reasonably design and synthesize metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with high stability and excellent adsorption/separation performance, the pore configuration and functional sites are very important. Here, we report two structurally similar cluster-based MOFs using a pyridine-modified low-symmetry ligand [H₄L = 2,6-bis(2',5'-dicarboxyphenyl)pyridine], [(NH₂Me₂)₂][Co₅(L)₂(OCH₃)₂(μ₃-OH)₂·2DMF]·2DMF·2H₂O (1) and [Co₅(L)₂(μ₃-OH)₂(H₂O)₂]·2H₂O·4DMF (2). The structures of 1 and 2 are built from Co₅ clusters, which have one-dimensional open channels, but their microporous environments are different due to the different ways in which ligands bind to the metals. Both MOFs have extremely high chemical stabilities over a wide pH range (2-12). The two MOFs have similar adsorption capacities of C₂H₂ (144.0 cm³ g^-1 for 1 and 141.3 cm³ g^-1 for 2), but 1 has a higher C₂H₂/CO₂ selectivity of 3.5 under ambient conditions. The difference in gas adsorption and separation between the two MOFs has been compared by a breakthrough experiment and theoretical calculation, and the influence of the microporous environment on the gas adsorption and separation performance of MOFs has been further studied.

g-C3N4@Ce-MOF Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalyzed cascade aerobic oxidative functionalization of styrene

A unique composite of the cerium-based metal–organic framework (Ce-UiO-66) modified with graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (g-C₃N₄) has been synthesized. The g-C₃N₄@Ce-MOF as a photocatalyst was employed in photocatalytic aerobic oxidative Hantzsch pyridine synthesis of styrene.

Tuning the Pore Surface of an Ultramicroporous Framework for Enhanced Methane and Acetylene Purification Performance

Both methane (CH₄) and acetylene (C₂H₂) are important energy source and raw chemicals in many industrial processes. The development of an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly separation and purification strategy for CH₄ and C₂H₂ is necessary. Ultramicroporous metal-organic framework (MOF) materials have shown great success in the separation and purification of small-molecule gases. Herein, the synergy effect of tritopic polytetrazolate and ditopic terephthalate ligands successfully generates a series of isoreticular ultramicroporous cadmium tetrazolate-carboxylate MOF materials (SNNU-13-16) with excellent CH₄ and C₂H₂ purification performance. Except for the uncoordinated tetrazolate N atoms serving as Lewis base sites, the pore size and pore surface of MOFs are systematically engineered by regulating dicarboxylic acid ligands varying from OH-BDC (SNNU-13) to Br-BDC (SNNU-14) to NH₂-BDC (SNNU-15) to 1,4-NDC (SNNU-16). Benefiting from the ultramicroporous character (3.8-5.9 Å), rich Lewis base N sites, and tunable pore environments, all of these ultramicroporous MOFs exhibit a prominent separation capacity for carbon dioxide (CO₂) or C2 hydrocarbons from CH₄ and C₂H₂. Remarkably, SNNU-16 built by 1,4-NDC shows the highest ideal adsorbed solution theory CO₂/CH₄, ethylene (C₂H₄)/CH₄, and C₂H₂/CH₄ separation selectivity values, which are higher than those of most famous MOFs with or without open metal sites. Dynamic breakthrough experiments show that SNNU-16 can also efficiently separate the C₂H₂/CO₂ mixtures with a gas flow rate of 4 mL min^-1 under 1 bar and 298 K. The breakthrough time (18 min g^-1) surpasses most best-gas-separation MOFs and nearly all other metal azolate-carboxylate MOF materials under the same conditions. The above prominently CH₄ and C₂H₂ purification abilities of SNNU-13-16 materials were further confirmed by the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations.

Structural diversity, gas adsorption and magnetic properties of three coordination polymers based on a rigid multicarboxylate ligand

A pictogram: the gas adsorption and magnetic properties of three Co(ii) coordination polymers constructed from 3,5-di(2′,5′-dicarboxylphenyl)benzoic acid ligand have been explored.

Exploration of porous metal-organic frameworks for gas separation and purification

As a new generation of porous materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs, also known as porous coordination polymers) have shown great promise for gas separation and purification because of their unique pore structures and surfaces for their differential recognition of small gas molecules. In this review article, we summarize our ongoing research endeavors to explore and discover microporous MOFs for gas separation and purification. We have developed several approaches to systematically tune the pores and to immobilize functional sites, including (1) the primitive cubic net of interpenetrated microporous MOFs from the self-assembly of the paddle-wheel clusters,M 2 ( C O 2 ) 4 ( M = C u 2 + , Z u 2 + … ) ), with two types of organic dicarboxylic acid and pillar bidentate linkers; (2) microporous mixed-metal-organic frameworks (M0 MOFs) through the metallo-ligands, and (3) microporous MOFs with dual functionalities. Such efforts have enabled us to make some breakthroughs on microporous MOFs for gas separation and purification, as demonstrated in the gas chromatographic separation of hexane isomers, kinetic D2/H2 separation, acetylene/ethylene separation, carbon dioxide capture, C2H2/CO2 and C3H4/C3H6 separation. Our group is one of the first groups who have envisioned the practical promise of microporous MOFs for the industrial gas separation and examined their separation capacities and efficiency using the fixed-bed adsorption and/or breakthrough experiments. Some of the very important and representative examples of these microporous MOFs for diverse gas separation and purification are highlighted in this review.

Enhanced Z-scheme photocatalytic activity of a π-conjugated heterojunction: MIL-53(Fe)/Ag/g-C3N4

We study the Z-Scheme charge transfer in an MACN heterojunction, looking in particular at the charge transfer between nanosheets and nanorods at the molecular level.

Ag-NPs embedded in two novel Zn3/Zn5-cluster-based metal–organic frameworks for catalytic reduction of 2/3/4-nitrophenol

Two novel microporous Zn-MOFs consist of different SBUs have been used to embed Ag NPs, resulting in two composite catalysts, which show outstanding catalytic activities toward the reduction of nitrophenol.

Preparation of a Fe2O3/MIL-53(Fe) composite by partial thermal decomposition of MIL-53(Fe) nanorods and their photocatalytic activity

A Fe₂O₃/MIL-53(Fe) composite (89% MIL-53(Fe), 11% Fe₂O₃) and Fe₂O₃ were prepared by partial and complete thermal decomposition of MIL-53(Fe).

Sensitive and accurate determination of sialic acids in serum with the aid of dispersive solid-phase extraction using the zirconium-based MOF of UiO-66-NH2 as sorbent

An zirconium-based MOFs of UiO-66-NH₂ has been synthetized and characterized in a dispersive solid-phase extraction procedure combined with HPLC with fluorescence detection for the pre-concentration and detection of sialic acids in serum samples.

Surface functionalization of dinuclear clathrochelates via Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions: facile synthesis of polypyridyl metalloligands

Clathrochelates can be decorated with pyridyl groups by cross-coupling reactions. They represent interesting ligands for supramolecular chemistry and materials science.

An amino-decorated NbO-type metal–organic framework for high C2H2 storage and selective CO2 capture

A novel amino-decorated NbO-type metal–organic framework (ZJU-8) has been designed and synthesized, exhibiting high acetylene storage and selective CO₂ capture and separation capacities at room temperature.

Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue in ZIF-8

ZIF-8 was used to perform photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue, a typical organic dye.