Micro-Cu4I4-MOF: reversible iodine adsorption and catalytic properties for tandem reaction of Friedel–Crafts alkylation of indoles with acetals

We report a convenient approach, the first of its kind, to construct a microscale non-metal@MOF composite catalytic host-guest system for an organic tandem reaction. The reported porous Cu4I4-MOF is able to reversibly adsorb molecular iodine at room temperature. The obtained I2@Cu4I4-MOF host-guest system can be a highly heterogeneous catalyst to promote the Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with acetals in a one-pot two-step fashion under solvent-free conditions at room temperature.