Single-Atom-Based Vanadium Oxide Catalysts Supported on Metal-Organic Frameworks: Selective Alcohol Oxidation and Structure-Activity Relationship.

We report the syntheses, structures, and oxidation catalytic activities of a single-atom-based vanadium oxide incorporated in two highly crystalline MOFs, Hf-MOF-808 and Zr-NU-1000. These vanadium catalysts were introduced by a postsynthetic metalation, and the resulting materials (Hf-MOF-808-V and Zr-NU-1000-V) were thoroughly characterized through a combination of analytic and spectroscopic techniques including single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Their catalytic properties were investigated using the oxidation of 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol under an oxygen atmosphere as a model reaction. Crystallographic and variable-temperature spectroscopic studies revealed that the incorporated vanadium in Hf-MOF-808-V changes position with heat, which led to improved catalytic activity.