Kenneth W. Henderson » Image Gallery

Assembly of a Chiral Metal-Organic Framework

We are interested in preparing porous, chiral framework materials for use in enantioselective processes. The material shown above is a highly robust metal-organic framework constructed from the chiral precursor, (+)-camphoric acid and magnesium ions. The structure of this material proves interesting, being composed of novel Mg₁₂ cages, which encapsulate twelve water molecules (0D dots). The assembly of this unusual material was examined using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, where the basic building blocks (three-fold paddle-wheels) were discovered. For more see: J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, in press.