Heteropolyacid-functionalized aluminum 2-aminoterephthalate metal-organic frameworks as reactive aldehyde sorbents and catalysts

Porous materials based on aluminum(III) 2-aminoterephthalate metal organic frameworks (MOFs NH₂MIL101(Al) and NH₂MIL53(Al)) and their composites with phosphotungstic acid (PTA) were studied as sorbents of saturated vapors of acetaldehyde, acrolein, and butyraldehyde. MOF functionalization by PTA impregnation from aqueous/methanol solutions resulted in MOF with the original crystal topology with the presence of an ordered PTA phase in the MOF/PTA composite. The MOF/PTA composites contained 29-32 wt % PTA and were stable against loss of PTA through leaching to the aqueous/organic solvent solutions. The MOF and MOF/PTA materials exhibited equilibrium uptake of acetaldehyde from its saturated vapor phase exceeding 50 and 600 wt %, respectively, at 25 C. The acetaldehyde vapor uptake occurs through the vapor condensation, pore-filling mechanism with simultaneous conversion of acetaldehyde to crotonaldehyde and higher-molecular-weight compounds resulting from repeated aldol condensation. The products of aldehyde condensation and polymerization were identified by MALDI-TOF and electrospray mass spectrometry. The kinetics of the MOF- and MOF/PTA-catalyzed aldol condensation of acetaldehyde were studied in water-acetonitrile mixtures. The aldol condensation kinetics in MOF suspensions were rapid and pseudo-first-order. The apparent second-order rate constants for the aldol condensation catalyzed by MOF/PTA were estimated to be 5 × 10^-4 to 1.5 × 10^-3 M ^-1s^-1, which are higher than those reported in the case of homogeneous catalysis by amino acids or sulfuric acid. MOF and MOF/PTA materials are efficient heterogeneous catalysts for the aldehyde self-condensation in aqueous-organic media.