Preparation of a Yb(III)‐Incorporated porous polymer by post‐Coordination: Enhancement of gas adsorption and catalytic activity

We synthesized a Yb(III)‐incorporated microporous polymer (Yb‐ADA) and studied its gas adsorption property and catalytic activity. The adamantane‐based porous polymer (ADA) was obtained from an ethynyl‐functionalized adamantane derivative and 2,5‐dibromoterephthalic acid through Sonogashira–Hagihara cross‐coupling. ADA had two carboxyl groups which were used for Yb(III) coordination under basic conditions. The Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) surface area of ADA was 970 m² g^?1. As Yb(III) ions were incorporated into ADA, the surface area of the polymer (Yb‐ADA) was reduced to 885 m² g^?1. However, Yb‐ADA exhibited a significantly enhanced CO₂ adsorption capacity despite the reduction of surface area. The CO₂ uptakes of ADA and Yb‐ADA were 1.56 and 2.36 mmol g^?1 at 298 K, respectively. The H₂ uptake of ADA also increased after coordination with Yb(III) from 1.15 to 1.40 wt % at 77 K. Yb‐ADA showed high catalytic activity in the acetalization of 4‐bromobenzaldehyde and furfural with trimethyl orthoformate and could be reused after recovery without severe loss of activity. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 5291–5297