Metal-organic frameworks for sensing applications in the gas phase.

Several metal-organic framework (MOF) materials were under investigated to test their applicability as sensor materials for impedimetric gas sensors. The materials were tested in a temperature range of 120 °C - 240 °C with varying concentrations of O(2), CO(2), C(3)H(8), NO, H(2), ethanol and methanol in the gas atmosphere and under different test gas humidity conditions. Different sensor configurations were studied in a frequency range of 1 Hz -1 MHz and time-continuous measurements were performed at 1 Hz. The materials did not show any impedance response to O(2), CO(2), C(3)H(8), NO, or H(2) in the gas atmospheres, although for some materials a significant impedance decrease was induced by a change of the ethanol or methanol concentration in the gas phase. Moreover, pronounced promising and reversible changes in the electric properties of a special MOF material were monitored under varying humidity, with a linear response curve at 120 °C. Further investigations were carried out with differently doped MOF materials of this class, to evaluate the influence of special dopants on the sensor effect.

Identification of an activated catalyst in the iridium-catalyzed allylic amination and etherification. Increased rates, scope, and selectivity.

Studies were conducted to determine possible intermediates in the highly enantioselective, iridium-catalyzed amination and etherification of allylic carbonates, and these studies revealed that cyclometalation of the phosphoramidite ligand is likely to generate the active catalyst. The square-planar [Ir(COD)(L1)Cl] (L1 = P(BINOL)(bisphenethylamine)) did not react with cinnamyl carbonate, but did react with amine to generate an Ir(I) trigonal bipyramidal complex coordinated by COD, a cyclometalated kappa2-phosphoramidite, and a kappa1-phosphoramidite. This complex reacted with phosphines to generate products from replacement of the kappa1-phosphoramidite. These cyclometalated complexes were highly active catalysts for allylic amination and etherification and retained the high selectivity of the original catalyst system. In addition, these complexes combined with [Ir(cod)Cl]2 catalyzed reactions of amines with lower loadings, catalyzed reactions of alkylamines and aromatic amines that did not react with the original catalyst system, and catalyzed reactions of phenoxides under milder conditions.