Metal-Organic Frameworks-Based Electrocatalysis: Insight and Future Perspectives

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous molecular compositions quickly emerging as a novel electro-optical platform, especially for various energy transduction processes. Such functionalities are intimately tied with the modular MOF chemistry required for the delineation of the wide range of tunable porous structures constructed from various electrooptically active linkers and or metal nodes. Various post-synthesis approaches further facilitate incorporation of key chemical functionalities that cannot be introduced into MOFs directly via de novo syntheses. While the tunable frameworks can provide a high areal concentration of electrooptically active species, the pore channels ensure substrate and ion flux, making these compositions highly accessible solid arrangements of molecular catalysts ideal for electro- and photoelectro chemical transformations. The recent surge of literature reports suggests unique features of energy and electron transfer processes within these framework compositions. Thus, understanding the unique features of electron transfer processes within the frameworks will help to delineate strategies for future functional materials. This review highlights some exemplary MOFs' electrocatalysis to understand the interplay between catalytic and ET processes.