Local Weak Hydrogen Bonds Significantly Enhance CO_(2)Electroreduction Performances of a Metal-Organic Framework

Technological application of the electrochemical reduction of CO_(2)relies on efficient electrocatalysts.We demonstrate that the introduction of amino groups alongside the porphyrin cobalt centers in a metal-organic framework(MOF)can dramatically accelerate the electrochemical CO_(2)reduction performance.A classic cobalt porphyrin-based MOF showing moderate CO_(2)-to-CO electroreduction performance(turnover frequency[TOF]=0.20 s^(−1),Faradic efficiency[FE]=47.4%)is modified.By molecular design of the porphyrin-based ligand,amino groups are introduced alongside the cobalt center,giving remarkably enhanced CO_(2)-to-CO electroreduction performance as high as FE 99.4%,current density 7.2 mA cm^(−2),and TOF 21.17 s^(−1),in a nearneutral aqueous solution at a low overpotential of 525 mV.Density functional theory calculations showed that the prepositioned amino groups,although located not sufficiently close to the active center,serve as hydrogen-bonding donors to stabilize the intermediate Co-CO_(2)adduct and impede the formation of Co-H_(2)O adduct,which not only promotes the CO_(2)reduction reaction but also restrains the hydrogen evolution reaction.

Multistep evolution from a metal–organic framework to ultrathin nanosheets

Two-dimensional (2D) materials and ultrathin nanosheets have attracted tremendous research interests [1-4]. Exfoliation of porous coordination polymers (PCPs) or metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with 2D coordination structures is emerging as a viable strategy for preparation of new types of 2D materials [5-8]. The relatively weak bonding within and strong interactions between 2D coordination networks are the main problems for successful exfoliation [9]. Pretreatments of the layered MOFs to expand the interlayer distances can be helpful [10-12]. Capturing the exfoliation intermediates and visualizing their structures are valuable for understanding the exfoliation mechanism and confirming the structures of the final 2D materials [11,12].

Flexibility of Metal-Organic Framework Tunable by Crystal Size at the Micrometer to Submillimeter Scale for Efficient Xylene Isomer Separation

Understanding,controlling,and utilizing the flexibility of adsorbents are of great importance and difficulty.Analogous with conventional solid materials,downsizing to the nanoscale is emerging as a possible strategy for controlling the flexibility of porous coordination polymers(or metal-organic frameworks).We report a unique flexibility controllable by crystal size at the micrometer to submillimeter scale.Template removal transforms[Cu_(2)(pypz)_(2)]·0.5p-xylene(MAF-36,Hpypz=4-(1H-pyrazol-4-yl)pyridine)with one-dimensional channels toα-[Cu_(2)(pypz)_(2)]with discrete small cavities,and further heating gives a nonporous isomerβ-[Cu_(2)(pypz)_(2)].Both isomers can adsorb p-xylene to give[Cu_(2)(pypz)_(2)]·0.5p-xylene,meaning the coexistence of guest-driven flexibility and shape-memory behavior.The phase transition temperature fromα-[Cu_(2)(pypz)_(2)]toβ-[Cu_(2)(pypz)_(2)]decreased from~270℃ to~150℃ by increasing the crystal size from the micrometer to the submillimeter scale,ca.2-3 orders larger than those of other size-dependent behaviors.Single-crystal X-ray diffraction showed coordination bond reconstitution and chirality inversion mechanisms for the phase transition,which provides a sufficiently high energy barrier to stabilize the metastable phase without the need of downsizing to the nanoscale.By virtue of the crystalline molecular imprinting and gate-opening effects,α-[Cu_(2)(pypz)_(2)]andβ-[Cu_(2)(pypz)_(2)]show unprecedentedly high p-xylene selectivities of 16 and 51,respectively,as well as ultrafast adsorption kinetics(<2 minutes),for xylene isomers.

A gating ultramicroporous metal-organic framework showing high adsorption selectivity,capacity and rate for xylene separation

Adsorptive separation of p-xylene(pX)from xylene isomers is a key process in chemical industry,but known adsorbents cannot simultaneously achieve high adsorption selectivity,capacity,and rate.Here,we demonstrate gating ultramicropore as a solution for this challenge.Slight modification of the synthetic condition gives rise to isomeric metal-organic frameworksα-[Zn(pba)](MAF-88,H2pba=4-(1H-pyrazol-4-yl)benzoic acid)andβ-[Zn(pba)](MAF-89)possessing similar pillared-column structures,porosities,and high pX capacities of 2.0 mmol g^(−1),but very different framework/pore topologies,pore sizes,and pX selectivities.For binary and ternary mixtures of liquid xylene isomers,MAF-88 with narrow one-dimensional(1D)channels shows pX selectivity of 11 and 1.6,while MAF-89 with 3D-connected quasi-discrete pores shows pX selectivity up to 221 and 46,respectively.Thermogravimetry,differential scanning calorimetry,and time-dependent separation experiments reveal that the kinetic effects of the gating pores play more important roles than the thermodynamic effects,which is further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and computational simulations.

Solvent-Controlled Construction of Molecular Chains and Bowls/Sieves from a Bent Dipyridyl Ligand

Solvothermal reactions of 3,6-di(pyridin-4-yl)-9H-carbazole(dpc)with Cu(ll)yielded crystals of two new coordination complexes,namely[Cu(CH_(3)COO)_(2)(dpc)(H_(2)O)_(2)]n-xGuest(1)and[Cu_(13)(HCOO)_(16)(dpc)16(H_(2)O)6](HCOO)10-Guest(2),in which CH_(3)COO_and HCOO-were generated from the hydrolysis of the solvents A/zAZ-dimethylacetamide(DMA)and A/zA/-dimethylformamide(DMF),respectively.Single-crystal X-ray diffraction showed that 1 possesses simple wavy coordination chains,while 2 possesses large molecular bowls/sieves with outer and inner effective sizes of 30.2 × 30.2 × 25.5 A^(3) and 15.0 × 15.0 × 18.6 A^(3),respectively,which consists of 4 linear Cu_(3)(HCOO)_(4)(H_(2)O)clusters and 12 dpc ligands as the square-shaped wall and a claw-like Cu(dpc)_(4) fragment as the bottle.Guest-free 2 can adsorb considerable amounts of CO_(2)/H_(2)O and CH_(3)OH but completely exclude C2H4 and C3H6z which shows a potential application for olefin drying.

A novel pillared-layer-type porous coordination polymer featuring three-dimensional pore system and high methane storage capacity

Solvothermal reaction of Zn(NO_3)_2, 4-(1H-pyrazol-4-yl)pyridine(Hpypz) and 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid(H_3btc) in N,N-dimethylacetamide(DMA) produced a new porous coordination polymer [Zn_5(pypz)_4(btc)_2](1). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of 1 showed that deprotonated pypz~– ligands served as 1,2,4-triazolate-like ligands, linking Zn(II) ions to form porous two-dimensional(2-D) sql-a layers {Zn(pypz)}^+, which were further connected by eight-legged pillars {Zn_2(btc)_4(H_2O)_2}^(8–) based on the typical paddlewheel dinuclear Zn_2(RCOO)_4(H_2O)_2 cluster to form a novel type of non-interpenetrated pillared-layer framework with 3-D intersecting pore system and large pore volume. Gas sorption measurements revealed that 1 possesses large BET surface area of 2061 m^2 g^(–1) and very high methane total uptake of 245 cm^3(STP) cm^(–3) at 298 K and 65 bar.

Optimizing luminescence sensitivity and moisture stability of porous coordination frameworks by varying ligand side groups

Hydrophobic ethyl, butyl or hexyl groups were introduced into the dicarboxylate ligand in the fluorescent porous coordination framework [Zn_2(fda)_2(bpy)](LMOF-202, H_2fda=9H-fluorene-2,7-dicarboxylic acid, bpy=4,4′-bipyridine) for improving water stability and tuning oxygen sensitivity. The long hexyl groups gave satisfactory water stability but its oxygen sensitivity is low(70.8% fluorescence quenched at 1 bar O_2(1 bar=105 Pa)). In contrast, the shorter side groups gave high oxygen sensitivity(93.9% fluorescence quenched at 1 bar O_2) and low water stability. The derivation of the Stern-Volmer curves of the O_2 luminescence quenching data from the linear form can be used for detecting trace impurities in the luminescent framework, being much more sensitive than conventional methods such as powder X-ray diffraction. Mixing the ethyl and hexyl groups in the solid-solution manner brought high oxygen sensitivity(96.4% fluorescence quenched at 1 bar O_2) and high water stability simultaneously in the same coordination framework.

Partial Order-Disorder Transformation of Interpenetrated Porous Coordination Polymers

Controlling interpenetration and flexibility behaviors is intriguing and fundamental for porous coordination polymers.We report exceptional interpenetration behaviors involving controllable partial order–disorder structural transformations.A new bis-benzotriazolate ligand(NaH2sbbta)with a twisted and anionic backbone was designed and synthesized.The solvothermal reaction of ZnCl_(2) and NaH_(2)sbbta yielded(Et_(2)NH_(2))_(3)[Zn_(5)Cl_(4)(sbbta)_(3)]·6DEF(2)possessing two-fold interpenetrated anionic pcu networks with symmetry,shape,and charge different from the known analogues.More interestingly,powder and single-crystal X-ray diffractions showed that 2 can undergo solvent-induced structural transformation to form a noninterpenetrated anionic pcu network with larger pores(1).Consequently,1/2 can selectively adsorb/exchange cationic dyes fromneutral and anionic dyes with tunable size selectivity.However,since the transformations are reversible without obvious change of crystal sizes,the network that disappeared in X-ray crystallography should be mainly disordered rather than decomposed.Further,the structural transformations can be suppressed by thermal decomposition/removal of Et_(2)NH_(2)^(+)/Et_(2)NH.Computational simulations indicate that the ordered and disordered structures are stabilized by relatively large and small solvent molecules,respectively.

A topology approach to overcome the pore size/volume trade-offs for autonomous indoor humidity control

Autonomous indoor humidity control is gaining more and more attention but is limited by the trade-offs among pore volume,pore size and water stability of water adsorbents.We solve this problem by using a unique coordination network topology combined with hydrolytically stable M(Ⅲ)carboxylate clusters.By extending the ligand length from 9.0 to 11.2 and 13.7?,the pore volume significantly increases from 0.99 to 1.40 and 1.78 cm^(3)g^(-1),which proportionally increases the saturated water adsorption capacity.Meanwhile,the pore size slightly increases from 10.4 to 11.0 and 13.5A,which restricts the isotherm inflection pressure and hysteresis width to meet the requirement of indoor humidity control.Large single-crystals suitable for Xray diffraction studies were obtained by using Fe(Ⅲ)salts,while isostructural frameworks with sufficiently high water stabilities were synthesized by using Cr(Ⅲ)salts,which offer record working capacity of 0.90 and 1.10 g g^(-1)for indoor humidity control.