Preparation of hollow spherical covalent organic frameworks via Oswald ripening under ambient conditions for immobilizing enzymes with improved catalytic performance

The hollow spherical covalent organic frameworks(COFs)have a wide application prospect thanks to their special structures.However,the controllable synthesis of uniform and stable hollow COFs is still a challenge.We herein propose a self-templated method for the preparation of hollow COFs through the Ostwald ripening mechanism under ambient conditions,which avoids most disadvantages of the commonly used hard-templating and soft-templating methods.A detailed time-dependent study reveals that the COFs are transformed from initial spheres to hollow spheres because of the inside-out Ostwald ripening process.The obtained hollow spherical COFs have high crystallinity,specific surface area(2,036 m^(2)·g^(−1)),stability,and single-batch yield.Thanks to unique hollow structure,clear through holes,and hydrophobic pore environment of the hollow spherical COFs,the obtained immobilized lipase(BCL@H-COF-OMe)exhibits higher thermostability,polar organic solvent tolerance,and reusability.The BCL@H-COF-OMe also shows higher catalytic performance than the lipase immobilized on non-hollow COF and free lipase in the kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols.This study provides a simple approach for the preparation of hollow spherical COFs,and will promote the valuable research of COFs in the field of biocatalysis.