Metal-peptide frameworks (MPFs):: Bioinspired metal organic frameworks

Chiral metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted a growing interest for their potential use in energy technologies, asymmetric Catalysis, chiral separation, and on a more basic level, the creation of new topologies in inorganic materials. The current paper is the first report on a peptide-based MOF, a metal peptide framework (MPF), constructed from an oligovaline peptide family developed earlier by our group (Mantion, A.; et al. Macromol. Biosci. 2007, 7, 208). We have used a simple oligopeptide, Z-(L-Val)(2)-L-Glu(OH)-OH, to grow porous copper and calcium MPFs. The MPFs form thanks to the self-assembling properties of the pepticle and specific metal-peptide and metal-ammonia interactions. They are stable up to ca. 250 degrees C and have some internal porosity, which makes them a promising prototype for the further development of MPFs.