Advances in Metal Organic Materials for Catalytic Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Since the start of the 21st century, materials based on metal–organic formulations have gained global attention due to their novel structures, properties, and broad-spectrum applications. Limitless combinations of metals with organic materials have introduced an exhaustive library of well-designed, porous coordination compounds, such as (i) 0D discrete polyhedra or (ii) 2D or 3D coordination polymers. Simple, discrete supramolecular cages, i.e., metal–organic polyhedra (MOPs) and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), are rapidly growing due to their manageable physical and chemical properties, structural diversities, exceptional porosities, and variable environment due to adjustable functional group moieties. These coordination compounds play remarkable catalytic roles in numerous important chemical transformations, providing a path from the molecular dimensions of catalytic pathways towards well-behaved, heterogeneous catalytic systems. The merger of Lewis acidic/basic sites, hydro-philic/phobic oriented interaction, host–guest complexion (mimicking enzymatic action), and encapsulation of catalytically active gust species imparts characteristic features for these compounds’ extraordinary performance in terms of high turnover number/frequency (TON/TOF) at the nanoscale. MOFs and MOPs, as solid-state materials, combine the benefits of heterogeneous catalysis (for example easy post reaction separation, catalyst reusability, and high stability) and homogeneous catalysis (high efficiency, selectivity, tailorable design of catalytic active sites, and mild reaction conditions). The conceivable organization of metal and ligands as active reaction sites along with their chemical functionalization at the nano level demonstrates the capacity to build up MOF or MOP nanoreactors particularly tailored for catalytic challenges.

Industry is benefitted by novel catalyzed reactions and thus this significantly contributes to the global economy. Metal–organic materials-based catalysts for various organic transformations like addition, condensation, elimination, cyclization, isomerization, oxidation–reduction, and substitution, along with reactions involving energy/fuel generation and activation of small molecules (N2, O2, H2, H2O, CO2, CO, etc.) are very impressive. The role of these materials as chemical catalysts, electrocatalysts, photocatalysts, and supports for real active catalysts has been well established. Thus, more efforts are required to develop these highly selective systems to create future catalysts with stability, robustness, and reusability. This will assist the advancement of the vast field of catalysis based on metal–organic materials.

This research topic welcomes submissions in the form of original research articles, reviews, and mini-reviews on the themes of catalysis based on metal–organic materials.

Prof. Dr. Francis Verpoort
Dr. Hussein A. Younus
Dr. Nazir Ahmad
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Inorganics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• catalysis
• heterogeneous catalysis
• metal-organic materials
• metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)
• metal-organic polyhedra (MOPs)