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Updated: Jan 28, 2026

Synthesis and Characterization of Functionalized Metal-organic Frameworks
Published on: September 5, 2014
Stabilization of an Unprecedented Hexanuclear Secondary Building Unit in a Thorium-Based Metal-Organic Framework
Peng Li1, Subhadip Goswami1, Ken-Ichi Otake1
1Department of Chemistry and International Institute of Nanotechnology , Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road , Evanston , Illinois 60208 , United States.
Abstract:
The crystal structures of thorium clusters are important for understanding the formation and transformation mechanisms of actinide species in solution, which can in turns benefit nuclear waste processing and management. However, stabilizing thorium clusters in aqueous solution is quite challenging because of their fast olation and oxolation reactions. Here, we report a thorium-based metal-organic framework, NU-905, with the formula [Th6(μ3-O)2(HCOO)4(H2O)6(TCPP)4] [TCPP = tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin], synthesized by a solvothermal reaction in N, N-dimethylformamide and water at 120 °C. NU-905 contains a hexanuclear secondary building unit (SBU), [Th6(μ3-O)2(HCOO)4(H2O)6], which has never been reported previously. The SBUs are capped and bridged by the tetratopic linker TCPP to form a three-dimensional network with scu topology. The activated NU-905 exhibits permanent porosity and shows high catalytic activity for the selective photooxidation of a mustard gas simulant.
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