ZIF-derived metal/N-doped porous carbon nanocomposites: efficient catalysts for organic transformations

Abstract

Recently, zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)-derived metal/N-doped porous carbon nanocomposites (M@NCs) have emerged as a class of appealing heterogeneous catalysts in organic synthesis, and the striking features mainly involve low-cost raw materials, simple synthetic procedure, controllable 3D porous structure, stable and uniformly dispersed metal sites, tunable metal–support interactions, and excellent catalytic redox performance. In this review, we wish to summarize the recent advances on the organic transformations over ZIF-derived M@NCs. Furthermore, this review introduces the preparation and functionalization strategies of the corresponding ZIF-derived M@NCs, discusses synthetic strategies of doping metals into these materials, and potential proposals for constructing the structure–activity relationships between M@NCs and organic reactions. Finally, this review offers critical comments on the challenges and opportunities for their application in organic transformations.