Evaluation of catalytic properties of two new Fluorinated Metal-Organic Frameworks (F-MOFs) Generated by Mechanosynthesis

Two new fluorinated metal−organic frameworks (F-MOFs), namely, [Zn2(hfibba)2(L1)]n.DMF (TMU-44) and [Zn2(hfibba)2(L2)]n.DMF (TMU-45) were successfully synthesized by the mechanochemical method. These isoreticular MOFs have been characterized by different spectroscopic techniques such as FT-IR spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The catalytic activity of these isoreticular F-MOFs as efficient heterogeneous catalysts toward Henry reaction was tested and compared to each other. TMU-44 and TMU-45 exhibited good catalytic activity in methanol media with excellent conversions. These catalysts maintain their crystalline frameworks after the reaction and are easily recovered and reused at least three cycles without significant loss in their catalytic activity and the conversion of benzaldehyde can be kept over 95%.