Microwave-assisted synthesis of urea-containing zirconium metal-organic frameworks for heterogeneous catalysis of Henry reactions

Here we report the facile preparation of a urea-containing UiO-68 isoreticular zirconium metal-organic framework (MOF) with mixed dicarboxylate struts by utilizing a microwave-assisted heating method. It can work as an efficient hydrogen-bond-donating heterogeneous catalyst for Henry reactions of benzaldehydes and nitroalkanes. This mixed strut MOF exhibits improved catalytic activity compared to the pure urea-functionalized linker based analogue.