Metal-organic frameworks’ tricks in asymmetric catalysis

Abstract

Asymmetric catalysis plays an irreplaceable role in the fields of pharmaceuticals, biomaterials, pesticides, and chiral optics. Due to the lessons from the specific catalysis occurring inside enzyme pockets, chiral metal-organic frameworks (CMOFs) are conceived as promising candidates for subtly modulating asymmetric catalysis performances. In this review, we first discuss an overview of the design and construction strategies of CMOFs that are essential to discern their versatile tricks in asymmetric catalysis. More importantly, a thoughtful discussion concerning CMOFs’ tricks in performance regulations of asymmetric catalysis is presented, including chiral pore environment decoration, metal node variation, crystal phase controlment, and nanostructure engineering. In addition, challenges and opportunities in this fundamental and cutting-edge research are also provided based on our own perspectives to attract more research interests and efforts in the future. As a double Nobel Laureate winner, asymmetric catalysis is accepted as the most economical and efficient strategy to build enantiopure products demanded by pharmaceuticals, pesticides, fragrances, chiral optics, etc. Despite great honors achieved by organometallics and organocatalysts, novel heterogeneous catalysts beneficial for easy product separation, facile regeneration, robust performance, and operable continuous-flow process are still keenly sought for industrial-scale applications. Fortunately, the emerging chiral metal-organic frameworks (CMOFs) with enzyme-mimicked chiral pores are promising candidates and have exhibited excellent performances in asymmetric reactions. In this review, the versatile tricks of CMOFs have been thoroughly introduced and discussed. Perspectives on both challenges and opportunities for future advancement are also provided for drawing more enthusiasm devoted to this fundamental and cutting-edge research. As an emerging type of heterogeneous asymmetric catalyst, CMOFs have exerted powerful tricks in the performance regulation via chiral pore decoration, metal node variation, crystal phase controlling, and nanostructure type engineering. In addition, their construction strategies from chiral organic ligands and achiral organic ligands are also briefly introduced to enable better understanding of the components and structures of CMOFs played in asymmetric catalysis.