Highly Efficient Separation of Intermediate‐Size <i>m</i>‐Xylene from Xylenes via a Length‐Matched Metal–Organic Framework with Optimal Oxygen Sites Distribution

Abstract

Xylene separation is crucial but challenging, especially for the preferential separation of the intermediate-size m-xylene from xylene mixtures. Herein, exploiting the differences in molecular length and alkyl distribution among xylenes, we present a length-matched metal-organic framework, formulated as Al(OH)[O₂C-C₄H₂O-CO₂], featuring an effective pore size corresponding to m-xylene molecular length combined with multiple negative O hydrogen bond donors distribution, can serve as a molecular trap for efficient preferential separation of the intermediate-size m-xylene. Benchmark separation performance was achieved for separating m-xylene from a ternary mixture of m-xylene/o-xylene/p-xylene, with simultaneous record-high m-xylene uptake (1.3 mmol g^-1) and m-xylene/p-xylene selectivity (5.3) in the liquid-phase competitive adsorption. Both vapor- and liquid-phase fixed-bed tests confirmed its practical separation capability with benchmark dynamic m-xylene/p-xylene and m-xylene/o-xylene selectivities, as well as excellent regenerability. The selective and strong m-xylene binding affinity among xylene molecules was further elucidated by simulations, validating the effectiveness of such a pore environment for the separation of intermediate-size molecules.