In situ Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Investigation of Isotope-selective Breathing in MIL-53 during Dihydrogen Adsorption.

The development of smart materials capable of separating dihydrogen isotopologues has risen recently. Among potential candidates, the flexible MIL-53 (Al) has been gaining attention due to its structural flexibility providing the so-called ''breathing mechanism'' that can be useful to separate hydrogen isotopologues selectively. In the present work, an in situ continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance investigation has been proven as a sensitive technique to follow the isotopologue-selective adsorption-desorption of dihydrogen species on the paramagnetic metal-doped MIL-53 (Al0.

Exploring Defect-Engineered Metal-Organic Frameworks with 1,2,4-Triazolyl Isophthalate and Benzoate Linkers.

Synthesis and characterization of DEMOFs (defect-engineered metal-organic frameworks) with coordinatively unsaturated sites (CUSs) for gas adsorption, catalysis, and separation are reported. We use the mixed-linker approach to introduce defects in Cu-paddle wheel units of MOFs [Cu(Me-trz-ia)] by replacing up to 7% of the 3-methyl-triazolyl isophthalate linker (L) with the "defective linker" 3-methyl-triazolyl m-benzoate (L), causing uncoordinated equatorial sites. PXRD of DEMOFs shows broadened reflections; IR and Raman analysis demonstrates only marginal changes as compared to the regular MOF (ReMOF, without a defective linker).