Coordinative alignment of molecules in chiral metal-organic frameworks

• DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf9135
• Publication Date: 2016-08-18T18:12:24Z
• Authors: Seungkyu Lee; Eugene A. Kapustin; Omar M. Yaghi
• Keywords: Chirality; Absolute Configuration; Stereocenter; Vicinal

A chiral metal-organic framework, MOF-520, was used to coordinatively bind and align molecules of varying size, complexity, functionality. The reduced motional degrees freedom obtained with this coordinative alignment method allowed the structures be determined by single-crystal x-ray diffraction techniques. chirality MOF backbone also served as a reference in structure solution for an unambiguous assignment absolute configuration bound molecules. Sixteen representing four common functional groups (primary alcohol, phenol, vicinal diol, carboxylic acid), ranging complexity from methanol plant hormones (gibberellins, containing eight stereocenters), were crystallized had their precise determined. We distinguished single double bonds gibberellins, we enantioselectively racemic jasmonic acid, whose only been inferred derivatives.