Organocatalysis by site-isolated N-heterocyclic carbenes doped into the UIO-67 framework

Combination of biphenyldicarboxylate with an imidazolium-tagged biphenyldicarboxylate linker yielded a modified UiO-67 metal organic framework (MOF). Treatment with LDA resulted in formation of a supported N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) capable of catalyzing the transesterification of vinyl acetate with benzyl alcohol. This represents the first organocatalasis by an NHC-MOF.60