An Americium-Containing Metal-Organic Framework: A Platform for Studying Transplutonium Elements

The synthesis, structure, and spectroscopic characterization of the first transplutonium metal-organic framework (MOF) is described. The preparation and structure of Am-GWMOF-6, [Am₂ (C₆ H₈ O₄ )₃ (H₂ O)₂ ][(C₁₀ H₈ N₂ )], is analogous to that of the isostructural trivalent lanthanide-only containing material GWMOF-6. The presented MOF architecture is used as a platform to probe Am³⁺ coordination chemistry and guest-enhanced luminescent emission, whereas the framework itself provides a means to monitor the effects of self-irradiation upon crystallinity over time. Presented here is a discussion of these properties and the opportunities that MOFs provide in the structural and spectroscopic study of actinides.