Lewis Acid Activation of a Hydrogen Bond Donor Metal-Organic Framework for Catalysis

A new metal-organic framework (MOF) composed of urea-containing tetracarboxylate struts was synthesized, and its hydrogen bonding capabilities were evaluated. The catalytic performance of this heterogeneous framework is enhanced through preactivation with silyl Lewis acids, leading to Friedel-Crafts reaction rates greater than those of common homogeneous hydrogen bond donors.