Conjugated porous polymers (CPPs), a class of fully crosslinked polymers, as heterogeneous photocatalysts are reviewed revealing a wide range of chemical transformations including hydrogen production, organic synthesis and photopolymerization.

Self-standing thiol (-SH) groups within a Zr(IV)-based metal-organic framework (MOF) anchor Pd(II) atoms for catalytic applications: the spatial constraint prevents the thiol groups from sealing off/poisoning the Pd(II) center, while the strong Pd-S bond precludes Pd leaching, enabling multiple cycles of heterogeneous catalysis to be executed.

We report the dramatic triggering of structural order in a Zr(IV)-based metal−organic framework (MOF) through docking of HgCl 2 guests. Although as-made crystals were unsuitable for single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), with diffraction limited to low angles well below atomic resolution due to intrinsic structural disorder, permeation of HgCl 2 not only leaves the crystals intact but also resulted in fully resolved backbone as well as thioether side groups. The crystal structure revealed elaborate HgCl 2 -thioether aggregates nested within the host octahedra to form a hierarchical, multifunctional net. The chelating thioether groups also promote Hg(II) removal from water, while the trapped Hg(II) can be easily extricated by 2-mercaptoethanol to reactivate the MOF sorbent.

Hard-and-soft combo does the trick: hard and robust Zr(iv)-carboxylate nodes build up the net, while soft allyl and sulfur donors selectively extract Pd(ii)-from amongst other elements in nuclear wastes.