Photoactivation of a nanoporous crystal for on-demand guest trapping and conversion

Porous compounds are ubiquitous and indispensable in daily life as adsorbents and catalysts. The discovery of a new porous compound with unique properties based on intrinsic nanosized space and surface functionalities is scientifically and technologically important. However, the functional species used in this context are limited to those that are sufficiently inert to not spoil the porous structures. Here, we show a new strategy to achieve a crystalline porous material with the pore surface regularly decorated with highly reactive 'bare' nitrenes that are photonically generated from stable 'dormant' precursors at will. The bare triplet nitrenes were accessible to and reacted with adsorbed oxygen or carbon monoxide molecules, which showed not only activation of the pore surface, but also a high probability of chemical trapping and conversion of guest molecules by light stimulation on demand.