A Ni3(OH)(COO)6 −based MOF from C3 symmetric ligands: Structure and heterogeneous catalytic activities in one-pot synthesis of imine

Abstract A new Ni(II)-metal organic framework was self-assembled by the reaction of tripodal benzene-1,3,5-tribenzoic acid (H 3 BTB), 2,4,6-tris(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TPT) and Ni II salts under solvothermal conditions. {[Ni 3 (OH)(BTB) 2 (TPT)[NH(CH 3 ) 2 ]} n •2nH 2 O ( MOF1 ) exhibited two-fold interpenetrated three-dimensional (3D) framework, which was constructed from the Ni 3 (OH)(COO) 6 trinuclear unit, connected by the mixed H 3 BTB and TPT ligands. In 1 , the trinuclear Ni 3 (OH)(COO) 6 units were firstly linked into 3D network by tripodal BTB 3− ligands, which were further accommodated with another size-matched trigonal TPT ligands, and novel (3,8)-connected 3D net was created. The catalytic measurements showed that compound 1 was a good heterogeneous catalyst for the one-pot synthesis of imines from benzyl alcohols and aniline under solvent-free condition, and the catalyst could be recycled without losing its structural integrity and catalytic activity.