Efficient light hydrocarbon separation and CO2 capture and conversion in a stable MOF with oxalamide-decorated polar tubes.

The first strontium-based MOF possessing polar tubular channels embedded with a high density of open Lewis acidic metal sites and basic oxalamide groups was constructed, which shows not only a high CO2 and C2H6 adsorption capability and significant selectivity for CO2 over both CH4 and CO, and for C2H6 over CH4, but also size-selective chemical conversion of CO2 with epoxides producing cyclic carbonates under ambient conditions.