Metal-organic frameworks as heterogeneous catalysts for oxidation reactions

Abstract

In this Perspective, we describe the use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as heterogeneous catalysts for oxidations using hydroperoxides or molecular oxygen. These two types of oxidants fulfill the requirements of green chemistry in terms of environmental benignity and sustainability. For the sake of clarity and to illustrate the possibilities of using MOFs as oxidation catalysts, we have constrained ourselves to present the results obtained for the oxidation of cycloalkanes, oxidation of benzylic positions, oxidation of cycloalkenes and aerobic oxidation of alcohols. The use of MOFs as catalysts for enantioselective oxidations has been dealt with in a separate section in which the peculiarity of the required oxidants and the advantages of having homo chiral MOFs have been discussed. The key features of MOFs as catalysts, the similarities with inorganic porous solids and future developments in this field have been discussed in separate sections.