Catalysis by Metal Organic Frameworks: Perspective and Suggestions for Future Research

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have drawn wide attention as potential catalysts, offering high densities of catalytic sites in high-area porous solids, some with stabilities at high temperatures. The field is at an early stage, characterized by numerous discoveries and novel demonstrations of catalytic properties associated with the crystalline structures of MOFs, but applications of MOFs as catalysts are still lacking. In this perspective we summarize advantages and limitations of MOFs as catalysts and fundamental issues to be addressed about their potential applications. MOF framework compositions and pore structures can strongly influence catalytic performance, allowing, for example, shape-selective and bifunctional catalysis, but research is needed to quantify reaction/transport processes in MOFs, identify catalytic sites, and determine intrinsic catalytic reaction rates. Progress is hindered by the lack of understanding of the heterogeneity of MOFs, with catalytic sites sometimes being in structures such as defects not determined by X-ray diffraction crystallography. Determination of the dynamics of MOFs and their catalytic sites, as well as the intrinsic kinetics of catalytic reactions, will help to advance guidelines for synthesizing optimum catalysts. Further, MOFs present challenges related to stability and regeneration as catalysts, some associated with the unique nature of MOFs, such as the node-linker bonds, which can break during catalysis. There are opportunities to understand these matters in depth and to find conditions of catalytic operation that minimize the processes leading to deactivation.