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Title: Chemoselective single-site Earth-abundant metal catalysts at metal–organic framework nodes

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12610· OSTI ID:1330241

Earth-abundant metal catalysts are critically needed for sustainable chemical synthesis. Here we report a simple, cheap and effective strategy of producing novel earth-abundant metal catalysts at metal–organic framework (MOF) nodes for broad-scope organic transformations. The straightforward metalation of MOF secondary building units (SBUs) with cobalt and iron salts affords highly active and reusable single-site solid catalysts for a range of organic reactions, including chemoselective borylation, silylation and amination of benzylic C–H bonds, as well as hydrogenation and hydroboration of alkenes and ketones. Our structural, spectroscopic and kinetic studies suggest that chemoselective organic transformations occur on site-isolated, electron-deficient and coordinatively unsaturated metal centres at the SBUs via σ-bond metathesis pathways and as a result of the steric environment around the catalytic site. MOFs thus provide a novel platform for the development of highly active and affordable base metal catalysts for the sustainable synthesis of fine chemicals.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI ID:
1330241
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Vol. 7, Issue 2016; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH