Nanoreactor Based on Macroporous Single Crystals of Metal-Organic Framework

A sacrificial template strategy is developed for the synthesis of yolk-shell Au@ZIF-8 nanoreactor. The Au@ZIF-8 nanoreactor possesses single-crystalline metal-organic framework (MOF) shell with intrinsic monodisperse micropores and introduced macropores. In each of the macropores, one Au NP is encapsulated to form a nanoreactor unit. The quantity of the reactor units in the MOF shell can be readily regulated. Such structure features of the Au@ZIF-8 nanoreactor facilitate the size selectivity of reactants, the accessibility of Au nanoparticles to reactants, and the mass transfer of reactants and products. As a result, the Au@ZIF-8 nanoreactor delivers excellent size selectivity, enhanced conversion, and good cycling stability when used to catalyze the aerobic oxidation of alcohols with different molecular size.