Nucleophilic addition of amines, alcohols, and thiophenol with epoxide/olefin using highly efficient zirconium metal organic framework heterogeneous catalyst

Abstract

A zirconium metal–organic framework catalyst was synthesized and investigated in the ring opening of epoxides with nucleophiles such as amines, alcohols, and thiophenol. For comparative study, Cu and Zn metal–organic framework catalysts were prepared. The zirconium based porous metal–organic framework catalyst was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption, scanning electron microscopy, thermo gravimetric analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic techniques. Application of these catalysts was also investigated in the nucleophilic addition of amines/thiophenol with activated olefins. Among the catalysts investigated in this study, zirconium metal–organic framework catalysts exhibited the highest activity in these reactions. In this study, systematic assessment of the catalytic activity of zirconium metal–organic framework for a wide range of aromatic and heterocyclic compounds is shown under one umbrella. Catalysts can be easily recovered and reused with negligible loss in the catalytic activity.