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An unexpected imidazole-induced porphyrinylphosphonate-based MOF-to-HOF structural transformation leading to the enhancement of proton conductivity
Post-synthetic modification of proton-conducting metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) by loading small molecules
capable of generating protons into pores is an efficient approach for developing a new type of material
with improved ionic conductivity. Herein, the synthesis, characterization and proton conductivity of a novel
electroneutral MOF based on palladium(II) meso-tetrakis(4-(phosphonatophenyl))porphyrinate, IPCE-1Pd, are
reported. The exposure of the obtained framework to imidazole by the diffusion vapor method has surprisingly
led to its complete crystal-to-crystal MOF-to-HOF transformation, resulting in the formation of a novel
hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF) IPCE-1Pd_Im, which is the first example of such kind of structural
change among all known MOFs. This modification has led to an almost 25-fold increase in the proton
conductivity in comparison with the pristine MOF, reaching up to 6.54 × 10−3 S cm−1 at 85 °C and 95% relative
humidity, which is one of the highest values among all known porphyrin-based HOFs.