Azamacrocyclic-based metal organic frameworks: Design strategies and applications

Polyazamacrocycles and its functionalized derivatives have been employed recently as organic building blocks in the construction of extended metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Incorporating azamacrocycles into the MOF architectures not only merges the chemistry of MOFs with supramolecular chemistry of the macrocycles, but also brings out novel properties from the hybrid frameworks produced. In this review, we describe recent advances of the fabrication of azamacrocycles into MOF structures along with the most prominent applications based upon azamacrocycle-containing MOFs, which include molecular recognition and separation, template synthesis, gas adsorption, and heterogenous catalysis.