Reaction of 2,3,6,7,10, in aqueous NH 3 solution under aerobic conditions produces Ni 3 (HITP) 2 (HITP = 2,3,6,7,10,, a new two-dimensional metal−organic framework (MOF). The new material can be isolated as a highly conductive black powder or dark blue-violet films. Two-probe and van der Pauw electrical measurements reveal bulk (pellet) and surface (film) conductivity values of 2 and 40 S•cm −1 , respectively, both records for MOFs and among the best for any coordination polymer.

Cation exchange is an emerging synthetic route for modifying the secondary building units (SBUs) of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). This technique has been used extensively to enhance the properties of nanocrystals and molecules, but the extent of its applications for MOFs is still expanding. To harness cation exchange as a rational tool, we need to elucidate its governing factors. Not nearly enough experimental observations exist for drawing these conclusions, so we provide a conceptual framework for approaching this task. We address which SBUs undergo exchange, why certain ions replace others, how the framework influences the process, the role of the solvent, and current applications. Using these guidelines, certain trends emerge from the available data and missing experiments become obvious. If future studies follow this framework, then a more comprehensive body of observations will furnish a deeper understanding of cation exchange and inspire future applications.

The metal nodes in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are known to act as Lewis acid catalysts, but few reports have explored their ability to mediate reactions that require electron transfer. The unique chemical environments at the nodes should facilitate unusual redox chemistry, but the difficulty in synthesizing MOFs with metal ions in reduced oxidation states has precluded such studies. Herein, we demonstrate that MZn3O(O2C-)6 clusters from Zn4O(1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)3 (MOF-5) serve as hosts for V(2+) and Ti(3+) ions and enable the synthesis of the first MOFs containing these reduced early metal ions, which can be accessed from MOF-5 by postsynthetic ion metathesis (PSIM). Additional MOF-5 analogues featuring Cr(2+), Cr(3+), Mn(2+), and Fe(2+) at the metal nodes can be obtained by similar postsynthetic methods and are reported here for the first time. The inserted metal ions are coordinated within an unusual all-oxygen trigonal ligand field and are accessible to both inner- and outer-sphere oxidants: Cr(2+)- converts into Cr(3+)-substituted MOF-5, while Fe(2+)-MOF-5 activates NO to produce an unusual Fe-nitrosyl complex.

Current heterogeneous catalysts lack the fine steric and electronic tuning required for catalyzing the selective dimerization of ethylene to 1-butene, which remains one of the largest industrial processes still catalyzed by homogeneous catalysts. Here, we report that a metal–organic framework catalyzes ethylene dimerization with a combination of activity and selectivity for 1-butene that is premier among heterogeneous catalysts. The capacity for mild cation exchange in the material MFU-4l (MFU-4l = Zn5Cl4(BTDD)3, H2BTDD = bis(1H-1,2,3-triazolo[4,5-b],[4′,5′-i])dibenzo[1,4]dioxin) was leveraged to create a well-defined and site-isolated Ni(II) active site bearing close structural homology to molecular tris-pyrazolylborate complexes. In the presence of ethylene and methylaluminoxane, the material consumes ethylene at a rate of 41,500 mol per mole of Ni per hour with a selectivity for 1-butene of up to 96.2%, exceeding the selectivity reported for the current industrial dimerization process.

A new model of MOF nanocrystal growth is proposed based on critical analysis of all reported sizes and synthetic conditions.

The inorganic clusters in metal-organic frameworks can be used to trap metal ions in coordination geometries that are difficult to achieve in molecular chemistry. We illustrate this concept by using the well-known basic carboxylate clusters in Zn 4 O(1,4-benzenedicarboxylate) 3 Our first attempts to install Ni 2+ ions inside MOF-5 were inspired by isolated reports of post-synthetic ion metathesis at MOF nodes. 5 Complete metathesis of structural units is a powerful method to access rationally designed analogues of 50 existing MOFs, as has recently also been demonstrated by organic ligand exchange.6 Accordingly, colourless crystals of MOF-5 were soaked in a saturated solution of Ni(NO 3 ) 2 •6H 2 O Fig. 1 Illustration of the Zn3O(carboxylate)6 SBU of MOF-5 as a tripodal support that enforces a tetrahedral oxygen ligand field, akin to standard chelating ligands such as the tetra-amine on the right. Fig. 2 Part of the crystal structure of NixZn4-xO(BDC)3 (x = 1). Due to crystallographically-imposed symmetry, the position of Ni 2+ centers (blue tetrahedra) within individual NiZn3 clusters cannot be identified unambiguously, and these are depicted at random. Green, red, and grey spheres represent Zn, O, and C atoms, respectively. Hydrogen atoms are omitted for clarity.

Multinuclear solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, first-principles molecular dynamics simulations, and other complementary evidence reveal that the coordination environment around the Zn2+ ions in MOF-5, one of the most iconic materials among metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), is not rigid. The Zn2+ ions bind solvent molecules, thereby increasing their coordination number, and dynamically dissociate from the framework itself. On average, one ion in each cluster has at least one coordinated N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) molecule, such that the formula of as-synthesized MOF-5 is defined as Zn4O(BDC)3(DMF)x (x = 1–2). Understanding the dynamic behavior of MOF-5 leads to a rational low-temperature cation exchange approach for the synthesis of metastable Zn4–xCoxO(terephthalate)3 (x > 1) materials, which have not been accessible through typical high-temperature solvothermal routes thus far.

Porous molecular materials combine benefits such as convenient processability and the possibility for atom-precise structural fine-tuning which makes them remarkable candidates for specialty applications in the areas of gas separation, catalysis, and sensing. In order to realize the full potential of these materials and guide future molecular design, knowledge of the transition from molecular properties into materials behavior is essential. In this work, the class of compounds termed cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs)shape-persistent macrocycles with built-in cavities and radially oriented π-systemswas selected as a conceptually simple class of intrinsically porous nanocarbons to serve as a platform for studying the transition from analyte sorption properties of small aggregates to those of bulk materials. In our detailed investigation, two series of CPPs were probed: previously reported hoop-shaped [n]CPPs and a novel family of all-phenylene figure-8 shaped (lemniscal) bismacrocycles, termed spiro[n,n]CPPs. A series of nanocarbons with different macrocycle sizes and heteroatom content have been prepared by atom-precise organic synthetic methods, and their structural, photophysical, and electronic attributes were disclosed. Detailed experimental studies (X-ray crystallography, gas sorption, and quartz-crystal microbalance measurements) and quantum chemical calculations provided ample evidence for the importance of the solid-state arrangement on the porosity and analyte uptake ability of intrinsically porous molecular nanocarbons. We demonstrate that this molecular design principle, i.e., incorporation of sterically demanding spiro junctions into the backbone of nanohoops, enables the manipulation of solid-state morphology without significantly changing the nature and size of the macrocyclic cavities. As a result, the novel spiro[n,n]CPPs showed a remarkable performance as high affinity material for vapor analyte sensing.