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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Development of Heterogeneous Enantioselective Catalysts using Chiral Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs)
Published on: January 17, 2020
A family of chiral metal-organic frameworks
Kristina Gedrich1, Maja Heitbaum, Andreas Notzon
1Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Dresden University of Technology, Bergstrasse 66, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
Abstract:
Chiral metal-organic frameworks with a three-dimensional network structure and wide-open pores (>30 Å) were obtained by using chiral trifunctional linkers and multinuclear zinc clusters. The linkers, H(3) ChirBTB-n, consist of a 4,4',4''-benzene-1,3,5-triyltribenzoate (BTB) backbone decorated with chiral oxazolidinone substituents. The size and polarity of these substituents determines the network topology formed under solvothermal synthesis conditions. The resulting chiral MOFs adsorb even large molecules from solution. Moreover, they are highly active Lewis acid catalysts in the Mukaiyama aldol reaction. Due to their chiral functionalization, they show significant levels of enantioselectivity, thereby proving the validity of the modular design concept employed.
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