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Updated: Jul 2, 2026
Synthesis of Triazole and Tetrazole-Functionalized Zr-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks Through Post-Synthetic Ligand Exchange
Published on: June 23, 2023
Crystals as molecules: postsynthesis covalent functionalization of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks
William Morris1, Christian J Doonan, Hiroyasu Furukawa
1Center for Reticular Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-Los Angeles, 607 East Charles E. Young Drive, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
A new crystalline zeolitic imidazolate framework, ZIF-90, was synthesized with a sodalite topology and high porosity. Functionalization of ZIF-90 yielded ZIF-91 and ZIF-92, which also exhibit significant surface areas and retained crystallinity.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemistry
Background:
- Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) are a class of metal-organic frameworks with diverse applications.
- Developing new ZIFs with tunable properties is crucial for advancing materials science.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize a novel ZIF, termed ZIF-90.
- To explore the functionalization of ZIF-90 and investigate the properties of the resulting materials.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of ZIF-90 using zinc(II) nitrate and imidazolate-2-carboxyaldehyde (ICA).
- Characterization of ZIF-90 using N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms.
- Chemical modification of ZIF-90 to produce ZIF-91 and ZIF-92 via reduction and imine formation.
Main Results:
- ZIF-90 exhibits a sodalite-type topology with a 3.5 Å aperture and 11.2 Å pore size.
- ZIF-90 demonstrates high porosity with Langmuir and BET surface areas of 1320 and 1270 m²/g, respectively.
- Functionalized ZIF-91 and ZIF-92 retained high crystallinity, with ZIF-91 maintaining permanent porosity.
Conclusions:
- ZIF-90 is a novel, highly porous crystalline zeolitic imidazolate framework.
- The aldehyde functionality in ZIF-90 allows for straightforward chemical modification into alcohol and imine functionalities.
- The synthesized functionalized ZIFs, ZIF-91 and ZIF-92, show promise for applications requiring porous materials with tailored properties.
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