Excision of organic macrocycles from covalent organic frameworks.

Molecules are typically synthesized through stepwise processes involving chemical reactions between simple molecular precursors. Here, we report an advance in the synthesis of new organic molecules based on the approach of clip-off chemistry, in which molecules are excised from ordered, extended organic structures. We synthesized macrocycles by selectively cleaving them out of covalent organic frameworks.

Synthesis of organic molecules spray-drying.

Confining chemical reactions within microdroplets has attracted significant attention from chemists due to the accelerated reaction rates resulting from the drastically smaller reaction volumes than in standard solutions. Herein we report that, beyond its widespread use for producing dry-powder formulations for industries ( pharmaceuticals and food) the atomization of microdroplets followed by drying in a hot gas stream, spray-drying can also be employed in organic synthesis. Specifically, we used spray-drying to run three model reactions: a Schiff-base condensation, a Claisen-Schmidt reaction, and acylation of amines, for synthesizing small organic molecules.

Decoding Framework Dynamics in a Spin Crossover Flexible Metal-Organic Framework.

Functional spin crossover (SCO) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) hold promise for miniaturized spin-based devices due to their tuneable molecule-based properties near room temperature. SCO describes the phenomenon where transition metal ions switch between high spin (HS) and low spin (LS) states upon external stimuli. However, even simple guest molecules like water can significantly alter the properties of these materials.

Isolation of the Secondary Building Unit of a 3D Metal-Organic Framework through Clip-Off Chemistry, and Its Reuse To Synthesize New Frameworks by Dynamic Covalent Chemistry.

Herein, we present a novel methodology for synthesizing metal clusters or secondary building units (SBUs) that are subsequently employed to construct innovative metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) via dynamic covalent chemistry. Our approach entails extraction of SBUs from preformed MOFs through complete disassembly by clip-off chemistry. The initial MOF precursor is designed to incorporate the desired SBU, connected exclusively by cleavable linkers (in this study, with olefinic bonds).

Atomic-Scale Elucidation of Unusually Distorted Dimeric Complexes Confined in a Zr-Based Metal-Organic Framework.

Nanoconfinement in metal-organic framework (MOF) pores can lead to the isolation of unusual or reactive metal complexes. However, MOFs that support the stabilization and precise structural elucidation of metal complexes and small metal clusters are rare. Here, we report a thermally and chemically stable zirconium-based MOF (University of Adelaide Material-1001, UAM-1001) with a high density of free bis-pyrazolyl units that can confine mono- and dinuclear metal complexes.

Retrosynthetic Analysis Applied to Clip-off Chemistry: Synthesis of Four Rh(II)-Based Complexes as Proof-of-Concept.

Clip-off Chemistry is a synthetic strategy that our group previously developed to obtain new molecules and materials through selective cleavage of bonds. Herein, we report recent work to expand Clip-off Chemistry by introducing into it a retrosynthetic analysis step that, based on virtual extension of the products through cleavable bonds, enables one to define the required precursor materials. As proof-of-concept, we have validated our new approach by synthesising and characterising four aldehyde-functionalised Rh(II)-based complexes: a homoleptic cluster; a cis-disubstituted paddlewheel cluster; a macrocycle; and a crown.

Metal-Organic Polyhedra as Building Blocks for Porous Extended Networks.

Metal-organic polyhedra (MOPs) are a subclass of coordination cages that can adsorb and host species in solution and are permanently porous in solid-state. These characteristics, together with the recent development of their orthogonal surface chemistry and the assembly of more stable cages, have awakened the latent potential of MOPs to be used as building blocks for the synthesis of extended porous networks. This review article focuses on exploring the key developments that make the extension of MOPs possible, highlighting the most remarkable examples of MOP-based soft materials and crystalline extended frameworks.

Surface chemistry of metal-organic polyhedra.

Metal-organic polyhedra (MOPs) are discrete, intrinsically-porous architectures that operate at the molecular regime and, owing to peripheral reactive sites, exhibit rich surface chemistry. Researchers have recently exploited this reactivity through post-synthetic modification (PSM) to generate specialised molecular platforms that may overcome certain limitations of extended porous materials. Indeed, the combination of modular solubility, orthogonal reactive sites, and accessible cavities yields a highly versatile molecular platform for solution to solid-state applications.

Templated synthesis of zirconium(IV)-based metal-organic layers (MOLs) with accessible chelating sites.

Metal-organic layers (MOLs) are of great interest in heterogeneous catalysis, particularly materials that can accommodate extraneous metal centres. Here, we demonstrate a two-step preorganisation/delamination synthetic strategy using CuI as a template to prepare Zr-based MOLs with accessible 'syn' bis-pyrazolyl chelating sites (named ) that are poised for quantitative post-synthetic metalation with late transition metals.

Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Transformations of Metal-Organic-Framework-Supported, Site-Isolated Trigonal-Planar Cu(I) Complexes with Labile Ligands.

Transition-metal complexes bearing labile ligands can be difficult to isolate and study in solution because of unwanted dinucleation or ligand substitution reactions. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) provide a unique matrix that allows site isolation and stabilization of well-defined transition-metal complexes that may be of importance as moieties for gas adsorption or catalysis. Herein we report the development of an in situ anion metathesis strategy that facilitates the postsynthetic modification of Cu(I) complexes appended to a porous, crystalline MOF.

Synthesis of Polycarboxylate Rhodium(II) Metal-Organic Polyhedra (MOPs) and their use as Building Blocks for Highly Connected Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs).

Use of preformed metal-organic polyhedra (MOPs) as supermolecular building blocks (SBBs) for the synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) remains underexplored due to lack of robust functionalized MOPs. Herein we report the use of polycarboxylate cuboctahedral Rh -MOPs for constructing highly-connected MOFs. Cuboctahedral MOPs were functionalized with carboxylic acid groups on their 12 vertices or 24 edges through coordinative or covalent post-synthetic routes, respectively.

Phase Transfer of Rhodium(II)-Based Metal-Organic Polyhedra Bearing Coordinatively Bound Cargo Enables Molecular Separation.

The transfer of nanoparticles between immiscible phases can be driven by externally triggered changes in their surface composition. Interestingly, phase transfers can enhance the processing of nanoparticles and enable their use as vehicles for transporting molecular cargo. Herein we report extension of such phase transfers to encompass porous metal-organic polyhedra (MOPs).

Protection strategies for directionally-controlled synthesis of previously inaccessible metal-organic polyhedra (MOPs): the cases of carboxylate- and amino-functionalised Rh(ii)-MOPs.

Herein we report that strategic use of protecting groups in coordination reactions enables directional inhibition that leads to synthesis of highly functionalised metal-organic polyhedra (MOPs), rather than of the extended coordination networks. Using this approach, we functionalised two new porous cuboctahedral Rh(ii)-based MOPs with 24 peripheral carboxylic acid groups or 24 peripheral amino groups.

Postsynthetic Covalent and Coordination Functionalization of Rhodium(II)-Based Metal-Organic Polyhedra.

Metal-organic polyhedra (MOP) are ultrasmall (typically 1-4 nm) porous coordination cages made from the self-assembly of metal ions and organic linkers and are amenable to the chemical functionalization of its periphery; however, it has been challenging to implement postsynthetic functionalization due to their chemical instability. Herein, we report the use of coordination chemistries and covalent chemistries to postsynthetically functionalize the external surface of ≈2.5 nm stable Rh(II)-based cuboctahedra through their Rh-Rh paddlewheel units or organic linkers, respectively.

Postsynthetic Selective Ligand Cleavage by Solid-Gas Phase Ozonolysis Fuses Micropores into Mesopores in Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Herein we report a novel, ozone-based method for postsynthetic generation of mesoporosity in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). By carefully selecting mixed-ligand Zr-fcu-MOFs based on organic ligand pairs in which one ligand has ozone-cleavable olefin bonds and the other ligand is ozone-resistant, we were able to selectively break the cleavable ligand via ozonolysis to trigger fusion of micropores into mesopores within the MOF framework. This solid-gas phase method is performed at room-temperature, and, depending on the cleavable ligand used, the resultant ligand-fragments can be removed from the ozonated MOF by either washing or sublimation.

Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Postsynthetic Modification of a Metal-Organic Framework via Ozonolysis.

We describe solid-gas phase, single-crystal-to-single-crystal, postsynthetic modifications of a metal-organic framework (MOF). Using ozone, we quantitatively transformed the olefin groups of a UiO-66-type MOF into 1,2,4-trioxolane rings, which we then selectively converted into either aldehydes or carboxylic acids.

Hetero-bimetallic paddlewheel clusters in coordination polymers formed by a water-induced single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation.

Herein we report a water-induced single-crystal to single-crystal transformation that involves the formation of hetero-bimetallic paddlewheel clusters in coordination polymers. Through this transformation, which involves the cleavage and formation of different coordination bonds, two different Cu(ii)-Zn(ii) and Cu(ii)-Ni(ii) paddlewheel units exhibiting a 1 : 1 metal ratio were created.

pH-Responsive Relaxometric Behaviour of Coordination Polymer Nanoparticles Made of a Stable Macrocyclic Gadolinium Chelate.

Lanthanide-containing nanoscale particles have been widely explored for various biomedical purposes, however, they are often prone to metal leaching. Here we have created a new coordination polymer (CP) by applying, for the first time, a stable Gd(III) chelate as building block in order to prevent any fortuitous release of free lanthanide(III) ion. The use of the Gd-DOTA-4AmP complex as a design element in the CP allows not only for enhanced relaxometric properties (maximum r1 =16.

Single-crystal and humidity-controlled powder diffraction study of the breathing effect in a metal-organic framework upon water adsorption/desorption.

Herein we report a study on water adsorption/desorption-triggered single-crystal to single-crystal transformations in a MOF, by single-crystal and humidity-controlled powder X-ray diffraction and water-sorption measurements. We identified a gate-opening effect at a relative humidity of 85% upon water adsorption, and a gate-closure effect at a relative humidity of 55 to 77% upon water desorption. This reversible breathing effect between the "open" and the "closed" structures of the MOF involves the cleavage and formation of several coordination bonds.