Renewable chemicals and fuels have
received significant attention
for sustainable economic development. Our aim in this work is to investigate
a porphyrinic metal–organic framework (MOF), namely, MOF-525
for the transfer hydrogenation of methyl levulinate (ML) to γ-valerolactone
(GVL) through density functional theory calculations. We computationally
design five multisite defect-engineered MOF-525(M) (M = CrIII, FeIII, RuIII, RhIII, and IrIII) and examine their catalytic performance for the transformation
of ML to methyl valerate (MV) via catalytic transfer hydrogenation
(CTH), subsequently for the cyclization of MV to GVL by anchoring
a SO3H group as a Brønsted acid site on the metallated
linker M-TPP-Cl. The CTH involves three pathways (two concerted and
one stepwise) on the defective Zr node and two pathways (one stepwise
and one concerted) on the metallated linker, respectively. It is revealed
that a stepwise Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley pathway is
energetically preferred on the defective Zr node. A similar stepwise
pathway on Ru-TPP-Cl is also found to be favorable, while a concerted
pathway is more favorable on Rh-TPP-Cl and Ir-TPP-Cl. The rate-determining
activation barriers on M-TPP-Cl are rationalized by geometry analysis,
second-order perturbation theory analysis, and the noncovalent interactions.
Among the five metallated MOF-525(M), Ru, Rh, and Ir are predicted
to be active for the transformation of ML to MV. However, the defective
Zr-SBU is found to have a lower activation energy barrier compared
to M-TPP-Cl, suggesting its dominant role in CTH. In addition, the
Brønsted acid-catalyzed cyclization appears to be rate-determining
on the defective Zr node, Rh-TPP-Cl, and Ir-TPP-Cl. This study suggests
that MOF-525 might be potentially used as a multisite catalyst platform
for the conversion of ML to GVL and would assist in the future rational
design of new MOFs for biomass valorization.