Multifunctional Microporous Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Framework Materials

University Of Texas At San Antonio, San Antonio TX

Investigators

Abstract

Non-technical Abstract Materials play a crucial role in advanced technologies that can improve our life quality. With the support of the Solid State and Materials Chemistry program, this project will design and synthesize novel microporous materials from organic compounds through hydrogen bonding interactions. Compared with traditional microporous materials such as zeolites and activated carbons, they can be straightforwardly synthesized, characterized, regenerated and processed, and are of low cost. They can be applied to the separation and production of a number of chemicals important for energy, environmental and pharmaceutical applications. The proposed project at the University of Texas at San Antonio provides exceptional educational opportunities and facilitate extensive national/international research collaboration for underrepresented minority and women undergraduate and graduate students, helping them to prepare their future careers in academia and industry. Technical Abstract This project aims to construct self-assembled multifunctional microporous hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF) materials from a variety of organic building linkers with strong hydrogen bonding motifs. Two unique hydrogen bonding motifs DAT (DAT = 2,4-diamino-1,3,5-triazin-6-yl) and CA (CA = -COOH) are incorporated into a number of organic linkers for their construction of porous HOFs whose pores can be systematically tuned and functionalized. These novel porous materials will be examined for separations of small molecules, enantioselective separations of chiral alcohols and amines, and heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of alcohols to their corresponding carbonyl compounds, asymmetric hydrogenation of keto esters, and asymmetric diethylzinc and alkynylzinc additions to synthesize chiral alcohols. The proposed research has significant impacts on the sustainable energy and separations of enantiopure compounds. Separation and purification of some small molecules such as C2-6 hydrocarbons, xylene and thiophene isomers are industrially very important; however, very challenging and energy-consuming. The realization of novel microporous HOF materials for the separation and purification of small molecules enhance the separation and purification efficiency and capacities of some existing separation technologies, and thus save energy costs. In terms of regeneration, microporous HOF materials are superior to other established porous materials because they can be easily recovered through simple recrystallization. The emerging of enantiopure microporous HOF materials for separations of enantiopure compounds can not only reduce the cost for the production of these important organic intermediates, but also initiate the new discoveries of these enantiopure organic intermediates for the synthesis of novel biologically active compounds, and pharmaceutical, agricultural, and fine chemicals.