Heteropolyacid-functionalized aluminum 2-aminoterephthalate metal-organic frameworks as reactive aldehyde sorbents and catalysts

Porous materials based on aluminum(III) 2-aminoterephthalate metal organic frameworks (MOFs NH2MIL101(Al) and NH2MIL53(Al)) and their composites with phosphotungstic acid (PTA) were studied as sorbents of saturated vapors of acetaldehyde, acrolein, and butyraldehyde. MOF functionalization by PTA impregnation from aqueous/methanol solutions resulted in MOF with the original crystal topology with the presence of an ordered PTA phase in the MOF/PTA composite. The MOF/PTA composites contained 29-32 wt % PTA and were stable against loss of PTA through leaching to the aqueous/organic solvent solutions. The MOF and MOF/PTA materials exhibited equilibrium uptake of acetaldehyde from its saturated vapor phase exceeding 50 and 600 wt %, respectively, at 25 °C. The acetaldehyde vapor uptake occurs through the vapor condensation, pore-filling mechanism with simultaneous conversion of acetaldehyde to crotonaldehyde and higher-molecular-weight compounds resulting from repeated aldol condensation. The products of aldehyde condensation and polymerization were identified by MALDI-TOF and electrospray mass spectrometry. The kinetics of the MOF- and MOF/PTA-catalyzed aldol condensation of acetaldehyde were studied in water-acetonitrile mixtures. The aldol condensation kinetics in MOF suspensions were rapid and pseudo-first-order. The apparent second-order rate constants for the aldol condensation catalyzed by MOF/PTA were estimated to be 5 × 10(-4) to 1.5 × 10(-3) M(-1)s(-1), which are higher than those reported in the case of homogeneous catalysis by amino acids or sulfuric acid. MOF and MOF/PTA materials are efficient heterogeneous catalysts for the aldehyde self-condensation in aqueous-organic media.