Molecular Scalpel to Chemically Cleave Metal–Organic Frameworks for Induced Phase Transition

Abstract

) and a hard base (BDC). Controlled phase transition was achieved by a series of redox steps to regulate the chemical state and coordination number of Cu ions, resulting in a significant change in chemical composition and catalytic activity. Mechanistic insights into structural cleavage and rearrangement are elaborated in detail. We show this novel strategy can be extended to general Cu-based MOFs and supramolecules for nanoscopic casting of unique architectures from existing ones.