Design of enantioselective catalysts in MOF architectures: a combined theoretical and experimental approach

In the last decades salen complexes have proven their value as chiral epoxidation catalysts [1] . The original manganese-salen complex allows the enantioselective epoxidation of unfunctionalized olefins with an enantiomeric excess of over 90% [2] . To improve the applicability of this catalyst, a heterogenization method is proposed where the homogeneous catalyst is trapped inside the cages of a nanoporous material. As carrier material NH2-MIL101(Al) [3] is chosen. This metal organic framework (MOF) is known for its high internal surface area and large cavities. The encapsulation is done via a one pot synthesis where the complex is added to the mixture during MOF synthesis.