Discovery of Metal-organic frameworks with metal N-heterocyclic carbenes for catalysis

Discovery of Metal-organic frameworks with metal N-heterocyclic carbenes for catalysis

Written by Adeel Abbas

Metal N−heterocyclic carbenes (MHCs) on the pore walls of a porous metal-organic framework can be used as active sites for efficient organic catalysis. This study was led by Drs. Rong Cao and Yuan -Biao Huang from China’s State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry at FHROM, who have been studying how these compounds react when they come in contact with different substances over time .

Their findings show that MCHCs are able to tolerate corrosion processes much better than other molecules because their electronic structure allows them more stability; this means we may soon see an increase not only in efficiency but also sustainability.

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A team of researchers found that AgOC(CF3)3 has good solubility in common aprotic solvents such as CH2Cl2, and excellent reactivity with imidazolium moieties to form anions.

This makes it perfect for use when preparing MOFs transmetalation reaction which can then be functionalized M-NHC upon reacting them into one another through metal ion exchange or dehydration process – something very useful indeed!

Further information: 

Chang He et al, Metal-Organic Frameworks Bonded with Metal N-Heterocyclic Carbenes for efficient catalysis, National Science Review (2021). DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwab157