Robust acid–base Ln-MOFs: searching for efficient catalysts in cycloaddition of CO(2) with epoxides and cascade deacetalization–Knoevenagel reactions

A family of microporous and robust Ln(iii)-based metal–organic frameworks (1-Ln, Ln = Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb) have been obtained using 4,4′,4′′-nitrilotribenzoic acid (H(3)NTB) in NMP–HCl solvent. Both single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction analyses demonstrate that 1-Ln are isostructural and possess 3D frameworks with permanent porosity for Ar and CO(2) adsorption. Strikingly, the incorporation of both Lewis acidic lanthanide ions and the basic triphenylamine group into 1-Ln makes them efficient acid–base catalysts for both cycloaddition of epoxides with CO(2) and one-pot cascade deacetalization–Knoevenagel reactions. The systematic catalytic studies show that 1-Tb and 1-Yb possess the best catalytic activities for both reactions, indicating the catalytic activities of these Ln-MOFs are strongly dependent on metal Lewis acid sites embedded in the frameworks.