Mass transport in metal-organic frameworks as a limiting step in size-selective oligomerization

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are a relatively new class of crystalline, porous materials at the interface of organic and inorganic chemistry that have been applied in gas absorption and storage systems, thin-film devices, and heterogeneous catalysts. While numerous examples of size-exclusive catalysis have been reported, to our knowledge no reports of size-selective oligomerization catalysis have been reported to date. Herein, chemically stable Zr based MOFs, namely UiO-67 and PCN-777, are investigated as possible candidates to promote size-selective oligomerization catalysis. Using acylated propylene-glycol methyl ethers as model substrates, the mass transport properties of these materials was investigated. Unfortunately, slow mass transport of solvated substrates through pores assumed to be sufficiently large for facile diffusion may prevent MOFs from serving as suitable scaffolds. Indeed, pore apertures large enough for quick diffusion rates may require pore volumes too large to allow reasonable size-selectivity.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemistry.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Palmer, Ryan D. (Ryan Dee)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Jeffrey F. Van Humbeck.

• Chemistry.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/103507

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/103507