High-throughput screening of synthesis parameters in the formation of the metal-organic frameworks MOF-5 and HKUST-1

High-throughput methods were employed to study the influence of reaction parameters on the synthesis of the metal-organic frameworks MOF-5 (Zn4O[(OOC)2 · C6H4]3) and HKUST-1 (Cu3[(OOC)3C6H3]2(H2O)3 · xH2O). Thus, compositional parameters (metal salt, reagent concentrations, and pH) as well as process parameters (temperature, time) were investigated in order to establish reaction trends and fields of formation. A multiclave reaction block was used to perform the investigation of 24 different solvothermal reactions at a time. Attention was focused on the phase purity and the crystal morphology of the resulting compounds. The characterization of the samples was performed by X-ray powder diffraction and high resolution scanning electron microscopy. The experimental results show that the formation, phase purity, and morphology of MOF-5 and HKUST-1 are extremely sensitive to the synthesis parameters explored in this study.