Defect-Engineered Metal-Organic Frameworks as Bioinspired Heterogeneous Catalysts for Amide Bond Formation.

The synthesis of amides from amines and carboxylic acids is the most widely carried out reaction in medicinal chemistry. Yet, most amide couplings are still conducted using stoichiometric reagents, leading to significant waste; few synthetic catalysts for this transformation have been adopted industrially due to their limited scope and/or poor recyclability. The majority of catalytic approaches focus on a single activation mode, such as enhancing the electrophilicity of the carboxylic acid partner using a Lewis acid.

MOFganic Chemistry: Challenges and Opportunities for Metal-Organic Frameworks in Synthetic Organic Chemistry.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous, crystalline solids constructed from organic linkers and inorganic nodes that have been widely studied for applications in gas storage, chemical separations, and drug delivery. Owing to their highly modular structures and tunable pore environments, we propose that MOFs have significant untapped potential as catalysts and reagents relevant to the synthesis of next-generation therapeutics. Herein, we outline the properties of MOFs that make them promising for applications in synthetic organic chemistry, including new reactivity and selectivity, enhanced robustness, and user-friendly preparation.