A cerium-based MOF exhibits oxidase-like activity for colorimetric sensing of biothiols and aerobic oxidation of thiols.

The new, dimethyl-functionalized CeIJIV)-based UiO-66 (UiO = University of Oslo) metal-organic framework (MOF) material Ce-UiO-66-(CH 3 ) 2 (1) was successfully synthesized under solvothermal conditions (100 °C, 15 min) by employing ammonium cerium(IV) nitrate and the 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (H 2 BDC-(CH 3 ) 2 ) ligand in a DMF/H 2 O (DMF = N,N-dimethyl formamide) mixture. The phase purity of the as-synthesized and thermally activated form (1′) of the compound was confirmed by a combination of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. As verified by the thermogravimetric analysis, the compound is thermally stable up to 300 °C in air atmosphere. Based on the XRPD measurements, the material retains its crystallinity after treatment with water, methanol, acetic acid and 1 M HCl. As confirmed by the gas sorption experiments, the compound shows significant microporosity towards N 2 (BET surface area = 845 m 2 g −1 ) and CO 2 (adsorption capacity = 34 cm 3 g −1 at 0 °C and 1 bar). The catalytic activity of 1′ has been studied in the oxidation of styrene and cyclohexene using tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) as the terminal oxidant.The catalyst is reusable for four cycles with no significant drop in its activity which is further confirmed by a hot filtration experiment.

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