Design and synthesis of an exceptionally stable and highly porous metal-organic framework

Open metal-organic frameworks are widely regarded as promising materials fo r applications(1-15) in catalysis, separation, gas storage and molecular re cognition. Compared to conventionally used microporous inorganic materials such as zeolites, these organic structures have the potential for more flex ible rational design, through control of the architecture and functionaliza tion of the pores. So far, the inability of these open frameworks to suppor t permanent porosity and to avoid collapsing in the absence of guest molecu les, such as solvents, has hindered further progress in the field(14,15). H ere we report the synthesis of a metal-organic framework which remains crys talline, as evidenced by Xray single-crystal analyses, and stable when full y desolvated and when heated up to 300 degrees C. This synthesis is achieve d by borrowing ideas from metal carboxylate cluster chemistry, where an org anic dicarboxylate linker is used in a reaction that gives supertetrahedron clusters when capped with monocarboxylates. The rigid and divergent charac ter of the added linker allows the articulation of the dusters into a three -dimensional framework resulting in a structure with higher apparent surfac e area and pore volume than most porous crystalline zeolites. This simple a nd potentially universal design strategy is currently being pursued in the synthesis of new phases and composites, and for gas-storage applications.