Heterogenization of homogeneous catalysts in metal-organic frameworks via cation exchange.

This paper describes the heterogenization of single-site transition-metal catalysts in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) via cation exchange. A variety of cationic complexes of Pd, Fe, Ir, Rh, and Ru have been incorporated into ZJU-28, and the new materials have been characterized by optical microscopy, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. MOF-supported [Rh(dppe)(COD)]BF4 catalyzes the hydrogenation of 1-octene to n-octane. The activity of this supported catalyst compares favorably to its homogeneous counterpart, and it can be recycled at least four times. Overall, this work provides a new and general approach for supporting transition-metal catalysts in MOFs.