Selective cycloaddition of ethylene oxide to CO within the confined space of an amino acid-based metal-organic framework.

Host-guest chemistry within the confined space of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offers an almost unlimited myriad of possibilities, hardly accessible with other materials. Here we report the synthesis and physical characterization, with atomic resolution by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, of a novel water-stable tridimensional MOF, derived from the amino acid -methyl-L-cysteine, {SrZn[(,)-Mecysmox](OH)(HO)}·9HO (1), and its application as a robust and efficient solid catalyst for the cycloaddition reaction of ethylene/propylene oxide with CO to afford ethylene/propylene carbonate with yields of up to 95% and selectivity of up to 100%. These results nicely illustrate the great potential of MOFs to be game changers for the selective synthesis of industrially relevant products, representing a powerful alternative to the current heterogeneous catalysts.