Simple, scalable mechanosynthesis of metal–organic frameworks using liquid-assisted resonant acoustic mixing (LA-RAM)

Abstract

We present a rapid and readily scalable methodology for the mechanosynthesis of diverse metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in the absence of milling media typically required for other types of mechanochemical syntheses. We demonstrate the use of liquid-assisted resonant acoustic mixing (LA-RAM) methodology for the synthesis of three- and two-dimensional MOFs based on Zn(ii), Co(ii) and Cu(ii), including a mixed ligand system. Importantly, the LA-RAM approach also allowed the synthesis of the ZIF-L framework that has never been previously obtained in a mechanochemical environment, as well as its Co(ii) analogue. Straightforward scale-up from milligrams to at least 25 grams is demonstrated using the metastable framework ZIF-L as the model.