Post-synthetic modification of nanoporous Cu3(BTC)2 metal-organic framework via immobilization of a molybdenum complex for selective epoxidation

In the present work, nanoporous Cu-3(BTC)(2) (abbreviated as CuBTC and BTC=benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) metal-organic framework (MOF) was modified in a two-step post-synthetic reaction by covalent attachment of aminopyridine groups followed by the reaction with bis(acetylacetonato) dioxomolybdenum(VI). The prepared molybdenum containing MOF was utilized as a heterogeneous catalyst in the epoxidation of olefins and allylic alcohols. Characterization of the prepared catalyst was performed using Fourier transform infrared, atomic absorption spectroscopies, CHN elemental analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and nitrogen adsorption/desorption techniques. The resulting catalyst showed high selectivity and catalytic activity toward the epoxidation reaction. Moreover, the catalyst demonstrated size-selective properties suggested the reaction occurred inside the pores. (c) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.