Robust Microporous Metal–Organic Frameworks for Highly Efficient and Simultaneous Removal of Propyne and Propadiene from Propylene. Issue 30 (24th June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peng, Yun‐Lei; He, Chaohui; Pham, Tony; Wang, Ting; Li, Pengfei; Krishna, Rajamani; Forrest, Katherine A.; Hogan, Adam; Suepaul, Shanelle; Space, Brian; Fang, Ming; Chen, Yao; Zaworotko, Michael J.; Li, Jinping; Li, Libo; Zhang, Zhenjie; Cheng, Peng; Chen, Banglin
• Is Part Of: Angewandte Chemie international edition. Volume 58:Issue 30(2019)
• Page Start: 10209
• Page End: 10214
• Publication Date: 2019-06-24
• Subjects: binding sites -- gas separation -- metal–organic frameworks -- physisorption -- propylene purification; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201904312
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1433-7851

Abstract

Abstract: Simultaneous removal of trace amounts of propyne and propadiene from propylene is an important but challenging industrial process. We report herein a class of microporous metal–organic frameworks (NKMOF‐1‐M ) with exceptional water stability and remarkably high uptakes for both propyne and propadiene at low pressures. NKMOF‐1‐M separated a ternary propyne/propadiene/propylene (0.5 : 0.5 : 99.0) mixture with the highest reported selectivity for the production of polymer‐grade propylene (99.996 %) at ambient temperature, as attributed to its strong binding affinity for propyne and propadiene over propylene. Moreover, we were able to visualize propyne and propadiene molecules in the single‐crystal structure of NKMOF‐1‐M through a convenient approach under ambient conditions, which helped to precisely understand the binding sites and affinity for propyne and propadiene. These results provide important guidance on using ultramicroporous MOFs as physisorbent materials. Abstract : Blatant favoritism : A class of microporous water‐stable MOFs enabled the simultaneous removal of trace amounts of propyne and propadiene from propylene (see picture) to produce polymer‐grade propylene with high selectivity (99.996 %) at ambient temperature. A method for the visualization of propyne and propadiene molecules in the single‐crystal structure of the MOF helped to explain the strong binding affinity for propyne and propadiene over propylene.