Interpenetrated NbO Topology Metal − Organic Framework Exhibiting Selective Gas Adsorption Published as part of a Crystal Growth and Design virtual special issue on Crystal Engineering of Nanoporous Materials for Gas Storage and Separation

We report on the first partially interpenetrated metal−organic framework (MOF) with NbO topology for its ability to separate methane from carbon dioxide and permanently sequester the greenhouse gas CO2. The MOF, Cu2(pbpta) (H4pbpta = 4,4′,4′′,4′′′-(1,4-phenylenbis(pyridine-4,2-6-triyl))-tetrabenzoic acid), crystallizes in the monoclinic C2/m space group and has a 2537 m/g Brunauer, Emmett and Teller surface area with an 1.06 cm/g pore volume. The MOF exhibits selective adsorption of CO2 over CH4 as well as that of C2H6 and C2H4 over CH4. Cu2(pbpta) additionally shows excellent catalytic efficacy for the cycloaddition reaction of CO2 with epoxides to produce industrially important cyclic carbonates using solvent-free conditions.