Design and development of novel Co-MOF nanostructures as an excellent catalyst for alcohol oxidation and Henry reaction, with a potential antibacterial activity

The novel metal-organic framework Co-2(bdda)(1.5)(OAc)(1)5H(2)O (UoB-3) was synthesized via a simple method at room temperature. UoB-3 was characterized by the different methods, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), N-2-adsorption/desorption and elemental analysis. The catalytic ability of UoB-3 was detected to be excellent for primary and secondary alcohols oxidation reaction with high yields under solvent-free conditions. Moreover, UoB-3 was highly active for Henry reaction of different aldehydes with nitromethane in water as a green solvent. The nanocatalyst can be recycled for five consecutive cycles without losing its activity and structural rigidity. The antibacterial activity of UoB-3 nanostructures towards Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli and Gram-positive bacteria, Bacillus cereus was also evaluated by using an inhibition zone test. These nanostructures exhibited strong antibacterial effect against both of them. The purpose of this study was the developing metal-organic framework materials with the enhanced activity in various fields.