Stabilization of active metal catalysts at metal-organic framework nodes for highly efficient organic transformations

A method for preparing a catalyst, said method comprising:

• providing a parent metal-organic framework (MOF), wherein the parent MOF comprises (i) a secondary building unit (SBU) comprising a metal oxo cluster comprising a terminal or bridging OH or OH2 group and (ii) an organic bridging ligand;
• and
• reacting the parent MOF with a catalyst precursor, wherein the catalyst precursor is a compound of the formula MLnX, wherein X is a halide, H, alkyl or aryl group, M is a catalytically active metal, n is an integer from 0 to 5, and each L is independently selected from the group consisting of H, a halide, an alkyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group, a heteroaryl group, an alkoxy group, and an amine, thereby forming a MOF catalyst comprising a SBU comprising a —OMLn group or a —(OH)MLn group,
• wherein the parent MOF is reacted with a base prior to reaction with the catalyst precursor to form a deprotonated SBU, optionally wherein the base is a salt of a Group 1 element and a carbanion, amide or hydride, further optionally wherein the base is n-butyl lithium (n-BuLi) or trimethylsilylmethyllithium (LiCH2SiMe3).