Indium metal–organic frameworks as catalysts in solvent-free cyanosilylation reaction

Abstract

Two new Indium MOFs with the bending multicarboxylate ligand H₂dpmda as a linker and different N-donor ancillary ligands were obtained; the two compounds are isoreticular with 2D-hcb uninodal 3-connected nets. Comparison of their activity in cyanosilylation reactions with another eight In-MOFs is also reported. Eight out of the ten resulted in being good catalysts under mild and environmentally friendly conditions. Correlations between indium coordination number (CN), framework topology and catalytic activity are made and discussed, demonstrating that among the studied MOFs, the indium material named InPF-6 with the formula [In₂(dpa)₃(1,10-phen)₂]·H₂O is the most effective catalyst. A possible catalytic mechanism is discussed.