title: Control over catenation in metal-organic frameworks via rational design of the organic building block.
abstract: Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a hybrid class of materials comprising inorganic nodes and organic struts, have potential application in many areas due to their high surface areas and uniform pores and channels. One of the key challenges to be overcome in MOF synthesis is the strong propensity for catenation (growth of multiple independent networks within a given crystal), as catenation reduces cavity sizes and diminishes porosity. Here we demonstrate that rational design of organic building blocks, which act as strut-impervious scaffolds, can be exploited to generate highly desired noncatenated materials in a controlled fashion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA. o-farha@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Omar K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Farha
authors.forename: Christos D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Malliakas
authors.forename: Mercouri G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kanatzidis
authors.forename: Joseph T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hupp
mesh_terms: D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D008024:Ligands; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D011312:Pressure; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D009942:Organometallic Compounds