High-throughput studies of highly porous Al-based MOFs

The use of high-throughput (HT) methods for the discovery of compounds as well as for the synthesis optimization in the field of porous aluminum MOFs is summarized. Taking the requirements of an industrial process into account, new synthesis procedures have been developed that demonstrate the versatility of the HT method. This is exemplified by the results that were obtained for the solvothermal system Al2(SO4)3·18H2O/polycarboxylic acid/H2O/DMF. Under rather mild reaction conditions, compared to the previously reported procedures, the Al-MOFs MIL-53-COOH, MIL-96, and MIL-120 were obtained employing 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic acid, 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, and 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid, respectively. Applying the HT methodology combined with microwave(MW)-assisted heating, the synthesis procedure were rapidly established, optimized and scaled up. The obtained solids were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), elemental analysis, vibrational spectroscopy and nitrogen sorption measurements. The properties of these MOFs are discussed in comparison with literature values.

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► High-throughput methods for the discovery of Al-MOFs are summarized.
► A three-step working scheme is presented that allows the facile synthesis of Al-MOFs.
► The workflow combines HT methods under conventional heating and MW-assisted heating.
► The mild conditions could allow the transfer from lab scale to industrial processes.
► The sorption properties of the Al-MOFs strongly depend on the synthesis conditions.