Ring-opening reactions within porous metal-organic frameworks.

Two new metal-organic framework (MOF) structures, IRMOF-3b and -3c, were prepared by ring-opening reaction of 1,3-propanesultone and 2-methylaziridine with an amine functionalized MOF, IRMOF-3. The new structures are permanently functionalized with covalently linked sulfonate and alkyamine units, respectively. The underlying framework structure is retained after reaction as confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction. The high porosity of IRMOF-3 is also maintained, as evidenced by nitrogen adsorption experiments, which yield Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas of 1380 and 530 m(2) g(-1) compared to 2040 m(2) g(-1) in the parent material. Ring-opening reactions provide a versatile route to irreversible binding of a range of functionalities that are otherwise difficult to access in MOFs.