Synthesis of metal-organic frameworks from the system metal/L-glutamic acid/TEA/H2O

Three metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with similar zeolite-like 3-D structures, Zn(L-Glu)(H2O) H2O, Cu(L-Glu)(H2O) H2O, and Co(L-Glu)(H2O) H2O, have been obtained from metal/L-glutamic acid/TEA/H2O systems, whereby the weak base triethylamine (TEA), rather than the more typically used NaOH or Na2CO3, has been used to adjust the pH of the solution. A systematic and detailed exploration of the synthesis conditions has revealed that not all transition metals may be coordinated to L-glutamic acid and that the range of conditions under which the three MOFs remained stable was different. The metal/L-glutamic acid/TEA/H2O system offers an effective means of obtaining MOFs.