Herein,
we have reported the synthesis, crystal structure, thermogravimetric
property, and photoluminescence activity of a new Cu-based metal organic
framework (MOF): {[Cu2(2,5-pdc)2(ald-4)(H2O)2]·3H2O,MeOH}
n
(where 2,5-pdc = 2,5-pyridine-dicarboxylate, ald-4
= aldrithiol-4) along with catalytic activity of CuO nanoparticles
(Cu-NPs) derived from the MOF for green synthesis of organic molecules
having biological relevance. The regular arrangement of metal centers
and the presence of oxygen and carbon in metal–organic frameworks
(MOFs) enable us to utilize them as template/precursor for the synthesis
of monodispersed metal-oxide and metal-carbide nanoparticles having
a high surface area with well-defined and uniform morphology. The
MOF derived oxide nanoparticles generally exhibit improved catalytic
activities and product selectivity and significantly reduce the chemical
waste production. The structural analysis has revealed that in the
complex under investigation the 2,5-pdc bridges the Cu(II) centers
to form both left-handed and right-handed infinite one-dimensional
helical chains, and the complex is a three-dimensional achiral framework
composed of neighboring two-dimensional sheets of opposite chirality.
The thermogravimetric study suggests that the framework is stable
up to 500 °C. Single phase, highly crystalline, nearly monodispersed,
and spherical CuO-NPs having an average particle size of ∼27.9
nm has been synthesized by heating the framework at 650 °C for
4 h. The CuO-NPs are characterized by using powder X-ray diffraction,
high resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron
diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and dynamic light
scattering technique. Further, the crystal structure of the CuO-NPs
has also been illustrated by Rietveld refinement of powder pattern.
Finally, the as-synthesized CuO-NPs were employed in the one-pot three
component Strecker synthesis of α-aminonitriles via the condensation
of benzaldehyde, aniline, and trimethylsilyl cyanide under solvent-free
condition. This work will be helpful in utilizing the MOF derived
oxide nanoparticles for development of sustainable chemical processes.