Simplifying and expanding the scope of boron imidazolate framework (BIF) synthesis using mechanochemistry

Cameron B. Lennox, Jean Louis Do, Joshua G. Crew, Mihails Arhangelskis, Hatem M. Titi, Ashlee J. Howarth, Omar K. Farha, Tomislav Friščić*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mechanochemistry enables rapid access to boron imidazolate frameworks (BIFs), including ultralight materials based on Li and Cu(i) nodes, as well as new, previously unexplored systems based on Ag(i) nodes. Compared to solution methods, mechanochemistry is faster, provides materials with improved porosity, and replaces harsh reactants (e.g. n-butylithium) with simpler and safer oxides, carbonates or hydroxides. Periodic density-functional theory (DFT) calculations on polymorphic pairs of BIFs based on Li+, Cu+ and Ag+ nodes reveals that heavy-atom nodes increase the stability of the open SOD-framework relative to the non-porous dia-polymorph.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)14499-14506
Number of pages8
JournalChemical Science
Volume12
Issue number43
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 21 2021

Funding

We acknowledge support of NSERC Discovery Grant (RGPIN-2017-06467), Discovery Accelerator Award (RGPAS 507837-17), Strategic Grant (STPGP 521582-18), and PGS-D Scholarship (to C. B. L.). MA thanks the National Science Center of Poland (NCN) for the support via SONATA grant (2018/31/D/ST5/03619). We also thank PL-Grid for access to the Prometheus supercomputer. Dr Robin S. Stein is acknowledged for help in acquiring NMR data. Anna Jung of McGill Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences for ICP-MS measurements, and Dr David Liu of the Facility for Electron Microscopy Research (FEMR), McGill University, for SEM imaging.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry

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