Anchoring Ag(I) into MOF-253 for Effectively Catalyzing Cycloaddition of CO2 with Alkynyl Alcohols/Amine under Ambient Conditions

In the era of global warming, the conversion of carbon dioxide into high-value products has become a widely scrutinized emerging mitigation strategy. Metalation of bpy-containing MOF-253 led to the synthesis of MOF-253–0.5Ag, which acts as an efficient catalyst for the carbonylative cyclization of CO2 with alkyne molecules (such as propynyl alcohols and propynyl amines) at room temperature and ambient CO2 pressure, yielding the corresponding α-alkyl cyclic carbonates and oxazolidinones, thus endowing the catalytic system with bifunctional characteristics. Additionally, the MOF-253–0.5Ag catalyst demonstrated stability, high activity, and recyclability. The mechanisms were further elucidated through experimental results and NMR analysis, demonstrating that Ag(I) can effectively activate the C≡C bonds and hydroxy/amino groups of the substrates.