Dihydrolevoglucosenone (Cyrene) As a Green Alternative to N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) in MOF Synthesis

Cyrene, a green bioderived solvent from waste cellulose, was applied into the synthesis of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). The MOF, HKUST-1, exhibited an even better Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area than HKUST-1 synthesized with DMF. Four additional archetypal MOFs were also synthesized to verify the universal application of Cyrene in MOF manufacturing. However, the BET surface areas were lower than DMF-made MOFs. It was observed that an aldol-condensation product of two Cyrene molecules in addition to Cyrene trapped within the pores are responsible for the lower than expected surface area. The use of Cyrene has led to a series of design principles that eliminate the need for problematic solvents such as DMF and can be applied to the synthesis of a wide range of MOFs.