Highly porous and robust scandium-based metal-organic frameworks for hydrogen storage

The metal-organic frameworks NOTT-400 and NOTT-401, based on a binuclear [Sc(2)(μ(2)-OH)(O(2)CR)(4)] building block, have been synthesised and characterised; the desolvated framework NOTT-401a shows a BET surface area of 1514 m(2) g(-1) with a total H(2) uptake of 4.44 wt% at 77 K and 20 bar.     

Solvent-induced controllable synthesis, single-crystal to single-crystal transformation and encapsulation of Alq3 for modulated luminescence in (4,8)-connected metal-organic frameworks

In this work, for the first time, we have systematically demonstrated that solvent plays crucial roles in both controllable synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and their structural transformation process. With solvent as the only variable, five new MOFs with different structures have been constructed, in which one MOF undergoes solvent-induced single-crystal to single-crystal (SCSC) transformation that involves not only solvent exchange but also the cleavage and formation of coordination bonds. Particularly, a significant crystallographic change has been realized through an unprecedented three-step SCSC transformation process. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that the obtained MOF could be an excellent host for chromophores such as Alq3 for modulated luminescent properties.     

Highly porous Co(II)-salicylate metal-organic framework: synthesis, characterization and magnetic properties

A new porous Co(II)-salicylate metal-organic framework material has been synthesized hydrothermally through the reaction of Co(II) chloride with sodium salicylate under mild alkaline pH conditions. To get an idea about the structural aspect of the material from the powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) pattern, MAUD program has been successfully utilized and the assigned peaks match very well with a new tetragonal phase (space group, P4mm) having the unit cell parameters: a = b = 12.957 (0.042) ?; c = 12.738 (0.019) ?; α = β = γ = 90°, V = 2138.73 ?(3). N(2) adsorption/desorption analyses suggested the material is highly porous in nature having high BET surface area and pore dimensions of 2.0-3.0 nm, which is within the range of small mesopores. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that the H(2)O molecules may be removed from the framework without collapsing the structure and the material is stable up to ca. 573 K. The material is characterized thoroughly by using different characterization tools such as TEM, SEM, UV-visible reflectance spectroscopy, FT IR spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) analysis was employed to understand the oxidation state of the cobalt atom and presence of other elements within the framework. The material shows interesting magnetic properties, where the magnetic moments monotonically increase with the decrease in temperature down to 9 K. Below 9 K there is a steep increase in magnetization on further lowering the temperature, thereby suggesting the onset of a long range ferromagnetic transition with ferromagnetic Curie temperature, T(C) = 8.5 K. Furthermore, the M-H curve at 2 K shows a clear hysteresis loop with a coercive field 150 Oe and remnant magnetization 0.8 μ(B)/f.u.     

High capacity gas storage by a 4,8-connected metal-organic polyhedral framework

The polyhedral complex [Cu(4)L(H(2)O)(4)]solv (NOTT-140) shows a 4,8-connected structure of rare scu topology comprising octahedral and cuboctahedral cages; desolvated NOTT-140a shows a total CO(2) uptake of 314.6 cm(3) (STP) cm(-3) at 20 bar, 293 K, and a total H(2) uptake of 6.0 wt% at 20 bar, 77 K.     

Alkali metal cation effects on hydrogen uptake and binding in metal-organic frameworks

A 2-fold interwoven metal-organic framework has been chemically reduced and doped with Li(+), Na(+), and K(+). At low pressures and temperatures, the reduced and doped materials exhibit enhanced H2 uptakeup to 65% higher than for the neutral framework. Notably, at similar doping levels, H2 binding is strongest with Li(+) and decreases as Li(+) > Na(+) > K(+). However, the uptake increases in the opposite order. We attribute the behavior to structural changes accompanying framework reduction.     

Homochiral porous metal-organic frameworks: Why and how?

This paper highlights the most significant recent advances in the synthesis, characterization, and applications of single-crystalline homochiral porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The motivations for the synthesis of homochiral porous solids and the strategies on how they can be designed are provided. The latest examples of chiral separation and Lewis acid heterogeneous asymmetric catalysis using homochiral porous MOFs are presented.     

Rational construction of 3D pillared metal-organic frameworks: synthesis, structures, and hydrogen adsorption properties

In our efforts toward rational design and systematic synthesis of 'pillar-layer' structure MOFs, three porous MOFs have been constructed based on [Zn(4)(bpta)(2)(H(2)O)(2)] (H(4)bpta = 1,1'-biphenyl-2,2',6,6'-tetracarboxylic acid) layers and three different bipyridine pillar ligands. The resulted MOFs show similar structures but different pore volume and window size depending on the length of pillar ligands which resulted in distinct gas adsorption properties. In the three MOFs, [Zn(4)(bpta)(2)(4,4'-bipy)(2)(H(2)O)(2)]·(DMF)(3)·H(2)O (1) (DMF = N,N'-dimethylformamide and 4,4'-bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine) reveals selective adsorption of H(2) over N(2) and O(2) as the result of narrow pore size. [Zn(4)(bpta)(2)(azpy)(2)(H(2)O)(2)]·(DMF)(4)·(H(2)O)(3) (2) and [Zn(4)(bpta)(2)(dipytz)(2)(H(2)O)(2)]·(DMF)(4)·H(2)O (3) (azpy =4,4'-azopyridine, dipytz = di-3,6-(4-pyridyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine) reveal pore structure change upon different activation conditions. In addition, the samples activated under different conditions show distinct adsorption behaviors of N(2) and O(2) gases. Furthermore, hydrogen adsorption properties of activated 1-3 were studied. The results indicated that the activation process could affect the hydrogen enthalpy of adsorption.     

Two highly porous single-crystalline zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks

Herein we report two highly porous Zr-based metal-organic frameworks(MOFs, 1 and 2) constructed by the truncated octahedral secondary building unit(SBU) of Zr_6O_4(OH)_4(CO_2)_(12) and the organic linear ligand of 4,4.-stilbenedicarboxylic acid(H_2sbdc) or4,4′-azobenezenedicarboxylic acid(H_2abdc). Both Zr-based MOFs are obtained as single crystals of suitable size for single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Furthermore, these two Zr-based MOFs have been fully characterized by powder X-ray diffraction(PXRD) studies, thermogravimetric analysis(TGA), infrared spectroscopy(IR) and gas adsorption analysis. In particular, their CO_2 gas adsorption behaviors have been investigated and discussed.     

Effects of surface area, free volume, and heat of adsorption on hydrogen uptake in metal-organic frameworks

Grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations were performed to predict adsorption isotherms for hydrogen in a series of 10 isoreticular metal-organic frameworks (IRMOFs). The results show acceptable agreement with the limited experimental results from the literature. The effects of surface area, free volume, and heat of adsorption on hydrogen uptake were investigated by performing simulations over a wide range of pressures on this set of materials, which all have the same framework topology and surface chemistry but varying pore sizes. The results reveal the existence of three adsorption regimes: at low pressure (loading), hydrogen uptake correlates with the heat of adsorption; at intermediate pressure, uptake correlates with the surface area; and at the highest pressures, uptake correlates with the free volume. The accessible surface area and free volume, calculated from the crystal structures, were also used to estimate the potential of these materials to meet gravimetric and volumetric targets for hydrogen storage in IRMOFs.     

Further investigation of the effect of framework catenation on hydrogen uptake in metal-organic frameworks

Hydrogen-sorption studies have been carried out for the catenation isomer pairs of PCN-6 and PCN-6' (both have the formula of Cu(3)(TATB)(2), where TATB represents 4,4',4'-s-triazine-2,4,6-triyl-tribenzoate with a formula of C(24)H(12)N(3)O(6)). Inelastic neutron scattering (INS) studies reveal that the initial sites occupied by adsorbed H(2) are the open Cu centers of the paddlewheel units with comparable interaction energies in the two isomers. At high H(2) loadings, where the H(2) molecules adsorb mainly on or around the organic linkers, the interaction is found to be substantially stronger in catenated PCN-6 than in noncatenated PCN-6', leading to much higher H(2) uptake in the isomer with catenation. Hydrogen sorption measurements at pressures up to 50 bar demonstrate that framework catenation can be favorable for the enhancement of hydrogen adsorption. For example, the excess hydrogen uptake of PCN-6 is 72 mg/g (6.7 wt %) at 77 K/50 bar or 9.3 mg/g (0.92 wt %) at 298 K/50 bar, respectively, and that for PCN-6' is 42 mg/g (4.0 wt %) at 77 K/50 bar or 4.0 mg/g (0.40 wt %) at 298 K/50 bar. Importantly, PCN-6 exhibits a total hydrogen uptake of 95 mg/g (8.7 wt %) (corresponding to a total volumetric value of 53.0 g/L, estimated based on crystallographic density) at 77 K/50 bar and 15 mg/g (1.5 wt %) at 298 K/50 bar. Significantly, the expected usable capacity of PCN-6 is as high as 75 mg/g (or 41.9 g/L) at 77 K, if a recharging pressure of 1.5 bar is assumed.     

Toward templated metal-organic frameworks: synthesis, structures, thermal properties, and luminescence of three novel lanthanide-adipate frameworks

Three novel praseodymium-adipate frameworks were synthesized hydrothermally. GWMOF-3 ([Pr(2)(adipic acid)(3)(H(2)O)(4)].adipic acid.4H(2)O) and GWMOF-6 ([Pr(2)(adipic acid)(3)(H(2)O)(2)].4,4'-dipyridyl) formed three-dimensional structures, whereas GWMOF-4 ([Pr(2)(adipic acid)(3)(H(2)O)(2)].H(2)O) produced a more dense, two-dimensional topology. Single-crystal X-ray and powder diffraction, IR spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and elemental analysis were employed to characterize all samples. GWMOF-6 represents an innovative step forward in metal-organic framework synthesis where a neutral molecular species not used in the construction of the framework is utilized as a structure-directing agent, or template. Furthermore, this template molecule (4,4'-dipyridyl) is shown to sensitize the fluorescence of lanthanide metal centers in a europium analogue of GWMOF-6.     

Templated metal-organic frameworks: synthesis, structures, thermal properties and solid-state transformation of two novel calcium-adipate frameworks

Two novel calcium-adipate framework materials have been synthesized hydrothermally. GWMOF-7 ([Ca(C6H8O4)(H2O)2]*(C10H8N2)) and GWMOF-8 ([Ca(C6H8O4)(H2O)2]*(C12H12N2)) both formed three-dimensional structures and were characterized with single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Thermal properties were also studied with thermogravimetric analysis, and show that these structures undergo a solid-state transformation into a denser three-dimensional framework.     

Microporous metal-organic frameworks incorporating 1,4-benzeneditetrazolate: syntheses, structures, and hydrogen storage properties

The potential of tetrazolate-based ligands for forming metal-organic frameworks of utility in hydrogen storage is demonstrated with the use of 1,4-benzeneditetrazolate (BDT(2)(-)) to generate a series of robust, microporous materials. Reaction of H(2)BDT with MnCl(2).4H(2)O and Mn(NO(3))(2).4H(2)O in N,N-diethylformamide (DEF) produces the two-dimensional framework solids Mn(3)(BDT)(2)Cl(2)(DEF)(6) (1) and Mn(4)(BDT)(3)(NO(3))(2)(DEF)(6) (2), whereas reactions with hydrated salts of Mn(2+), Cu(2+), and Zn(2+) in a mixture of methanol and DMF afford the porous, three-dimensional framework solids Zn(3)(BDT)(3)(DMF)(4)(H(2)O)(2).3.5CH(3)OH (3), Mn(3)(BDT)(3)(DMF)(4)(H(2)O)(2).3CH(3)OH.2H(2)O.DMF (4), Mn(2)(BDT)Cl(2)(DMF)(2).1.5CH(3)OH.H(2)O (5), and Cu(BDT)(DMF).CH(3)OH.0.25DMF (6). It is shown that the method for desolvating such compounds can dramatically influence the ensuing gas sorption properties. When subjected to a mild evacuation procedure, compounds 3-6 exhibit permanent porosity, with BET surface areas in the range 200-640 m(2)/g. The desolvated forms of 3-5 store between 0.82 and 1.46 wt % H(2) at 77 K and 1 atm, with enthalpies of adsorption in the range 6.0-8.8 kJ/mol, among the highest so far reported for metal-organic frameworks. In addition, the desolvated form of 6 exhibits preferential adsorption of O(2) over H(2) and N(2), showing promise for gas separation and purification applications.     

Flexible porous metal-organic frameworks for a controlled drug delivery

Flexible nanoporous chromium or iron terephtalates (BDC) MIL-53(Cr, Fe) or M(OH)[BDC] have been used as matrices for the adsorption and in vitro drug delivery of Ibuprofen (or alpha- p-isobutylphenylpropionic acid). Both MIL-53(Cr) and MIL-53(Fe) solids adsorb around 20 wt % of Ibuprofen (Ibuprofen/dehydrated MIL-53 molar ratio = 0.22(1)), indicating that the amount of inserted drug does not depend on the metal (Cr, Fe) constitutive of the hybrid framework. Structural and spectroscopic characterizations are provided for the solid filled with Ibuprofen. In each case, the very slow and complete delivery of Ibuprofen was achieved under physiological conditions after 3 weeks with a predictable zero-order kinetics, which highlights the unique properties of flexible hybrid solids for adapting their pore opening to optimize the drug-matrix interactions.