Issue 16, 2020

Isolating reactive metal-based species in Metal–Organic Frameworks – viable strategies and opportunities

Abstract

Structural insight into reactive species can be achieved via strategies such as matrix isolation in frozen glasses, whereby species are kinetically trapped, or by confinement within the cavities of host molecules. More recently, Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have been used as molecular scaffolds to isolate reactive metal-based species within their ordered pore networks. These studies have uncovered new reactivity, allowed observation of novel metal-based complexes and clusters, and elucidated the nature of metal-centred reactions responsible for catalysis. This perspective considers strategies by which metal species can be introduced into MOFs and highlights some of the advantages and limitations of each approach. Furthermore, the growing body of work whereby reactive species can be isolated and structurally characterised within a MOF matrix will be reviewed, including discussion of salient examples and the provision of useful guidelines for the design of new systems. Novel approaches that facilitate detailed structural analysis of reactive chemical moieties are of considerable interest as the knowledge garnered underpins our understanding of reactivity and thus guides the synthesis of materials with unprecedented functionality.

Graphical abstract: Isolating reactive metal-based species in Metal–Organic Frameworks – viable strategies and opportunities

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
27 Jan 2020
Accepted
19 Mar 2020
First published
25 Mar 2020
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2020,11, 4031-4050

Isolating reactive metal-based species in Metal–Organic Frameworks – viable strategies and opportunities

R. J. Young, M. T. Huxley, E. Pardo, N. R. Champness, C. J. Sumby and C. J. Doonan, Chem. Sci., 2020, 11, 4031 DOI: 10.1039/D0SC00485E

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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