Stable metal-organic framework-supported niobium catalysts

Sol Ahn, Nicholas E. Thornburg, Zhanyong Li, Timothy C. Wang, Leighanne C. Gallington, Karena W. Chapman, Justin M. Notestein*, Joseph T. Hupp, Omar K. Farha

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

81 Scopus citations

Abstract

Developing structurally well-defined, supported oxide catalysts remains a significant challenge. Here, we report the grafting of Nb(V) oxide sites onto the nodes of the Zr-based metal organic framework (MOF) NU-1000 as a stable, well-defined catalyst support. Nb(V) oxide was deposited with loadings up to 1.6 mmol/g via two postsynthetic methods: atomic layer deposition in a MOF, and solution-phase grafting in a MOF. Difference envelope density measurements indicated that the two synthetic methods resulted in different local structures of the Nb(V) ions within NU-1000. Despite their high Nb(V) loadings, which were equivalent to >60% surface coverage, nearly all Nb(V) sites of the MOF-supported catalysts were active sites for alkene epoxidation, as confirmed by phenylphosphonic acid titration. The MOF-supported catalysts were more selective than the control Nb-ZrO2 catalyst for cyclohexene epoxidation with aqueous H2O2 and were far more active on a gravimetric basis.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)11954-11961
Number of pages8
JournalInorganic chemistry
Volume55
Issue number22
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 21 2016

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry

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