Stable porphyrin Zr and Hf metal-organic frameworks featuring 2.5 nm cages: high surface areas, SCSC transformations and catalyses

Two isostructural porphyrin Zr and Hf metal-organic frameworks (FJI-H6 and FJI-H7) are rationally synthesized, and are constructed from 2.5 nm cubic cages. Notably, they both possess high water and chemical stability and can undergo single-crystal to single-crystal transformations to embed Cu(2+) ions into the open porphyrin rings. FJI-H6 has a high BET surface area of 5033 m(2) g(-1). Additionally, they exhibit promising catalytic abilities to convert CO(2) and epoxides into cyclic carbonates at ambient conditions.