Studying the structural
behavior of metal–organic frameworks
(MOFs) under hydrostatic pressures is a steadily growing area. The
goal of active research is identification of overarching composition–structure
principles including both properties of technological relevance and
material behavior of academic interest such as material stability
criteria, mechanical properties, pressure-induced phase transitions,
negative compressibilities, and guest-dependent high-pressure structural
responses. Here the current literature on the high-pressure structural
responses of MOFs is reviewed with focus on bulk moduli, pressure-transmitting
medium dependent properties, pressure-induced phase transitions, and
amorphization processesproperties that are derived from high-pressure
X-ray diffraction studies. After highlighting topical examples, aspects
of high-pressure diffraction studies on MOFs are summarized that are
important to advance the field such as the rigorous reporting of experimental
and analytical procedures, opportunities that come with custom-made
high-pressure diffraction setups, the nature and impact of the pressure-transmitting
medium, and the role of forging even closer ties between computation
and experiment.