Metal-organic frameworks for catalysis: State of the art, challenges, and opportunities

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), also known as porous coordination polymers (PCPs), are a unique class of porous crystalline materials that are constructed by metal ions/clusters and organic ligands. The intriguing, numerous and tailorable structures as well as permanent porosity of MOFs make them very promising for a variety of potential applications, especially in catalysis. In this review, we systematically summarize the recent progress of MOF-based materials (including pristine MOFs, MOF composites, and MOF derivatives) for heterogeneous catalysis, photocatalysis and electrocatalysis, according to the category of active site origin. We clearly indicate the significant strengths (and also weaknesses) of the MOF-based materials, in reference to traditional catalysts, in catalytic studies. The challenges and opportunities in regard to the MOF-based materials for catalysis have also been critically discussed.