A sustainable protocol for the facile synthesis of zinc-glutamate MOF: an efficient catalyst for room temperature CO2 fixation reactions under wet conditions

Abstract

A water stable zinc-MOF (ZnGlu) catalyst was facilely prepared from the proteinogenic amino acid, L-glutamic acid at room temperature in aqueous medium. CO₂ fixations were promoted by the ZnGlu catalyst's inherently coordinated water and externally added water in yielding cyclic carbonate and cyclic urethane at room temperature. This eliminates the need for catalyst activation, making ZnGlu a ready-to-use catalyst. The enhanced CO₂ cycloaddition with added water hints at the application of ZnGlu in wet flue gas conversions. This is the first reported attempt for the use of an MOF in the cycloaddition of aziridine and CO₂.