Structural features of lanthanide coordination polymers with catalytic properties

The review showcases the structural features of an array of recently reported lanthanide coordination polymers with catalytic properties. The field of lanthanide coordination polymers has considerably progressed during the last decade placing it at the forefront of the materials science. The wealth of obtained data clearly demonstrates that lanthanides play a determinant role in tailoring the structural pattern, coordination environment, dimensional configuration and network architecture of coordination polymers. As a rule, the lanthanide(III) ions possess a high coordination number and a large atomic radius, and because of that they tend to generate highly connected complex structures with different coordination geometry. In this way, they easily build two-dimensional and three-dimensional architectures with definite channels and permanent pores. Owing to their strong oxophilic propensity and hard Lewis acid character, lanthanides effectively succeed in creating robust, stable coordination polymers and MOF structures and viable matrices via strongly binding the coordinating groups of the accurately selected organic linkers. Such unique particularities involve a distinct morphology, diverse crystal structures, uniform porosity, a defined pore size and shape, precisely controlled number and dimensions of channels. Their specifically designed configurations allow the access of guest molecules and a controlled distribution of the metal ions on the surface or within the network. Additionally, the lanthanide ions afford new synergistic Lewis acid sites beneficial for productive catalytic applications. These attractive capabilities of lanthanide coordination polymers enabled them to be fruitfully used as sustainable and recyclable heterogeneous catalysts in diverse organic transformations. like carbon-carbon bond forming, Strecker reaction, CO2 cycloaddition, Knoevenagel condensation, hydroboration and cyanosilylation.