Construction of Pt complex within Zr-based MOF and its application for hydrogen production under visible-light irradiation

This tutorial review presents recent developments of homochiral metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in enantioselective catalysis. Following a brief introduction of the basic concepts and potential virtues of MOFs in catalysis, we summarize three distinct strategies that have been utilized to synthesize homochiral MOFs. Framework stability and accessibility of the open channels to reagents are then addressed. We finally survey recent successful examples of catalytically active homochiral MOFs based on three approaches, namely, homochiral MOFs with achiral catalytic sites, incorporation of asymmetric catalysts directly into the framework, and post-synthetic modification of homochiral MOFs. Although still in their infancy, homochiral MOFs have clearly demonstrated their utility in heterogeneous asymmetric catalysis, and a bright future is foreseen for the development of practically useful homochiral MOFs in the production of optically pure organic molecules.

Direct splitting of water using a particulate photocatalyst would be a good way to produce clean and recyclable hydrogen on a large scale, and in the past 30 years various photocatalysts have been found that function under visible light. Here we describe an advance in the catalysis of the overall splitting of water under visible light: the new catalyst is a solid solution of gallium and zinc nitrogen oxide, (Ga(1-x)Zn(x))(N(1-x)O(x)), modified with nanoparticles of a mixed oxide of rhodium and chromium. The mixture functions as a promising and efficient photocatalyst in promoting the evolution of hydrogen gas.