Postsynthetic modification of metal-organic frameworks

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Organic Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline porous materials with diverse applications.
• Traditional MOF synthesis often requires complex procedures.
• A need exists for adaptable methods to functionalize pre-formed MOFs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a critical review of post-synthetic modification (PSM) strategies for MOFs.
• To highlight the scope and generality of PSM in MOF chemistry.
• To underscore the growing importance of PSM in advancing MOF development.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of chemical reactions suitable for PSM, including amide couplings, isocyanate condensations, and 'click' chemistry.
• Identification of various MOF structures, such as IRMOF-3 and ZIF-90, that are amenable to PSM.
• Analysis of literature data to assess the broad applicability of PSM.

Main Results:

• PSM is a viable strategy for modifying MOFs while preserving their lattice structure.
• A wide range of chemical reactions can be employed for PSM.
• Numerous MOFs, including IRMOF-3 and ZIF-90, can be successfully modified using PSM.
• The PSM approach is broadly applicable across different MOFs and reaction types.

Conclusions:

• Post-synthetic modification is a powerful and versatile methodology for tailoring MOF properties.
• The broad applicability and increasing number of reports indicate PSM will be crucial for future MOF development.
• PSM facilitates the design of advanced MOFs for targeted applications.