A microporous Ni(II)-porphyrin metal-organic framework (MOF), [Ni3(Ni-HTCPP)2(μ2-H2O)2(H2O)4(DMF)2]·2DMF, (MOF1) (where, Ni-HTCPP = 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-benzoate) porphyrinato-Ni(II)) has been synthesized by the solvothermal route. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of 1 reveals a 2D network structure constituted by Ni3 cluster and [Ni-HTCPP](3-) metalloligand having (3, 6)-connected binodal net with {4(3)}2{4(6)·6(6)·8(3)}-kgd net topology. The 2D layers are further stacked together through π-π interactions between the porphyrin linkers to generate a 3D supramolecular framework which houses 1D channels with dimension of ∼5.0 × 9.0 Å(2) running along the crystallographic a-axis. Visible-light-assisted photocatalytic investigation of MOF1 for heterogeneous reduction of various nitroaromatics at room temperature resulted in the corresponding amines with high yield and selectivity. On the contrary, the Ni(II)-centered porphyrin tetracarboxylic acid [Ni-H4TCPP] metalloligand does not show the photocatalytic activity under similar conditions. The remarkably high catalytic performance of MOF1 over [Ni-H4TCPP] metalloligand has been attributed due to cooperative catalysis involving the Ni-centered porphyrin secendary building units (SBUs) and the Ni3-oxo node. Further, the MOF1 was recycled and reused up to three cycles without any significant loss of catalytic activity as well as structural rigidity. To the best of our knowledge, MOF1 represents the first example of MOF based on 3d metal ion exhibiting visible-light-assisted reduction of nitroaromatics under mild conditions without the assistance of noble metal cocatalysts.

Purification of ethylene by removing acetylene from an ethylene/acetylene (99/1 v/v) mixture is a challenging task in the petrochemical industry. Our effort toward finding new porous materials that can selectively uptake acetylene resulted in two 3D metal−organic frameworks. Compound 1, {[Zn(p-pda)(bpee)]} (p-pda = p-phenylenediacetate and bpee = 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene) turned out to be a nonporous structure due to the presence of a bulky and rigid aromatic ring in the p-pda ligand. Interestingly, replacement of p-pda with succinic acid yields the microporous framework {[Zn 2 (μ 3 -OH)(suc) 1.5 (bpee)]•CH 3 OH• 2H 2 O} (2; suc = succinate), which offers a 1D channel along the a direction occupied by guest methanol and water molecules. Remarkably, the desolvated framework of 2 shows selective uptake of C 2 H 2 over other gas molecules such as C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 6 , CO 2 and CH 4 at 293 K. An ideal absorbed solution theory (IAST) study predicts a high selectivity value for acetylene adsorption over the other gas molecules mentioned above. The efficiency of removal of acetylene from ethylene/acetylene mixtures containing 1% acetylene was established through a column breakthrough experiment performed at room temperature. The performance of our material in the purification of ethylene by removing acetylene is comparable with those reported in the literature. In the frameworks of both 1 and 2, the ethylenic double bonds of adjacent bpee linkers are aligned parallel and readily undergo [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions upon UV-light irradiation to yield {[Zn 2 (p-pda) 2 (rctt-tpcb)]} (1IR) and {[Zn 4 (μ 3 -OH) 2 (suc) 3 (rctt-tpcb)]•2CH 3 OH• 4H 2 O} (2IR), respectively (rctt-tpcb = regio-cis,trans,trans-tetrakis(4-pyridyl)cyclobutane). Photochemical structural transformations of 100% were observed in single-crystal to single-crystal fashions, which were also supported by 1 H NMR spectroscopy. The structures of both 2 and 2IR underwent temperature-dependent reversible structural transformations, which was confirmed by SCXRD and DSC analysis. Selective C 2 H 2 uptake of the dehydrated framework of 2IR was also examined, which demonstrates results similar to those of 2.