Permanent microporosity and enantioselective sorption in a chiral open framework

J Am Chem Soc. 2004 May 19;126(19):6106-14. doi: 10.1021/ja0316420.

Abstract

A homochiral microporous material is presented. The phase has 47% permanently porous void volume and is shown to have >1 nm diameter pores with three-dimensional channels using probe molecule sorption. Enantioselective guest sorption is strongly dependent on guest size. The homochiral microporous phase was identified by reactive selection from a first-generation chiral but nonporous framework. Chiral permanent porosity is established by directional noncovalent interactions between framework-forming and nonframework forming components of the stable second-generation material, which become stronger upon loss of the guests from the pore system.