The first thermochemical analysis by room-temperature aqueous solution calorimetry of a series of zeolite imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) has been completed. The enthalpies of formation of the evacuated ZIFs-ZIF-zni, ZIF-1, ZIF-4, CoZIF-4, ZIF-7, and ZIF-8-along with as-synthesized ZIF-4 (ZIF-4·DMF) and ball-milling amorphized ZIF-4 (a(m)ZIF-4) were measured with respect to dense components: metal oxide (ZnO or CoO), the corresponding imidazole linker, and N,N dimethylformamide (DMF) in the case of ZIF-4·DMF. Enthalpies of formation of ZIFs from these components at 298 K are exothermic, but the ZIFs are metastable energetically with respect to hypothetical dense components in which zinc is bonded to nitrogen rather than oxygen. These enthalpic destabilizations increase with increasing porosity and span a narrow range from 13.0 to 27.1 kJ/mol, while the molar volumes extend from 135.9 to 248.8 cm(3)/mol; thus, almost doubling the molar volume results in only a modest energetic destabilization. The experimental results are supported by DFT calculations. The series of ZIFs studied tie in with previously studied MOF-5, creating a broader trend that mirrors a similar pattern by porous inorganic oxides, zeolites, zeotypes, and mesoporous silicas. These findings suggest that no immediate thermodynamic barrier precludes the further development of highly porous materials.

For the first time, using aqueous solution calorimetry, we clearly identify the chemisorption of an unusually strong iodine charge-transfer (CT) complex within the cages of a metal-organic framework. Specifically, we studied the sorption of iodine gas in zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8, Zn(2-methylimidazolate)2). Two iodine-loaded ZIF-8 samples were examined. The first, before thermal treatment, contained 0.17 I2/Zn on the surface and 0.59 I2/Zn inside the cage. The second sample was thermally treated, leaving only cage-confined iodine, 0.59 I2/Zn. The energetics of iodine confinement per I2 (relative to solid I2) in ZIF-8 are ΔHads = -41.47 ± 2.03 kJ/(mol I2) within the cage and ΔHads = -18.06 ± 0.62 kJ/(mol I2) for surface-bound iodine. The cage-confined iodine exhibits a 3-fold increase in binding energy over CT complexes on various organic adsorbents, which show only moderate exothermic heats of binding, from -5 to -15 kJ/(mol I2). The ZIF-8 cage geometry allows each iodine atom to form two CT complexes between opposing 2-methylimidazolate linkers, creating the ideal binding site to maximize iodine retention.

Metal-organic framework (MOF) porosity relies upon robust metal-organic bonds to retain structural rigidity upon solvent removal. Both the as-synthesized and activated Cu and Zn polymorphs of HKUST-1 were studied by room temperature acid solution calorimetry. Their enthalpies of formation from dense assemblages (metal oxide (ZnO or CuO), trimesic acid (TMA), and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF)) were calculated from the calorimetric data. The enthalpy of formation (ΔHf) of the as-synthesized Cu-HKUST-H2O ([Cu3TMA2·3H2O]·5DMF) is -52.70 ± 0.34 kJ per mole of Cu. The ΔHf for Zn-HKUST-DMF ([Zn3TMA2·3DMF]·2DMF) is -54.22 ± 0.57 kJ per mole of Zn. The desolvated Cu-HKUST-dg [Cu3TMA2] has a ΔHf of 16.66 ± 0.51 kJ/mol per mole Cu. The ΔHf for Zn-HKUST-amorph [Zn3TMA2·2DMF] is -3.57 ± 0.21 kJ per mole of Zn. Solvent stabilizes the Cu-HKUST-H2O by -69.4 kJ per mole of Cu and Zn-HKUST-DMF by at least -50.7 kJ per mole of Zn. Such strong chemisorption of solvent is similar in magnitude to the strongly exothermic binding at low coverage for chemisorbed H2O on transition metal oxide nanoparticle surfaces. The strongly exothermic solvent-framework interaction suggests that solvent can play a critical role in obtaining a specific secondary building unit (SBU) topology.

The first experimental thermodynamic analysis of a metal-organic framework (MOF) has been performed. Measurement of the enthalpy of formation of MOF-5 from the dense components zinc oxide (ZnO), 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H(2)BDC), and occluded N,N-diethylformamide (DEF) (if any) gave values of 78.64 ± 2.95 and 99.47 ± 3.62 kJ·[mol of Zn(4)O(BDC)(3)·xDEF](-1) for the as-made form and the desolvated structure, respectively. These as-made and desolvated enthalpies correspond to the values 19.66 ± 0.74 and 24.87 ± 0.94 kJ·(mol of Zn)(-1), respectively. The energetics of desolvated MOF-5 per mole of Zn falls in line with trends relating the enthalpy of inorganic porous materials (zeolites, zeotypes, and mesoporous materials) to molar volume. MOF-5 extends a plateauing trend first suggested by thermodynamic studies of mesoporous materials. This leveling off of the destabilization energetics as the void space swells suggests that additional void volume beyond a certain point may begin to act as a parameter "external" to the structure and not destabilize it further. This could help explain the rich landscape of large-volume MOFs and their ease of desolvation.

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