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Hexagonal CeO2 plates (H-CeO2) were prepared through template synthesis using a 2D hexagonal microporous organic polymer (H-MOP). After loading Au species onto H-CeO2, the resulting H-CeO2@Au was studied as a heterogeneous catalyst for the selective oxidation of 1,3-propanediol into an important polymer platform, 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3HP). The optimized catalyst, H-CeO2@Au-2, achieved a 91% yield of 3HP at room temperature under ambient 1 atm O2 and demonstrated recyclability over five successive runs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work shows that various polyurethanes (FPUs) prepared using biomass-derived furan diols can be applied as promising tribopositive materials. The elastic FPUs having appropriate glass transition temperature (Tg) could be incorporated into polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabrics to form FPU/PET films. The optimal FPU-4/PET film showed promising triboelectric performance with output voltages (Vp–p) up to 405 V and a maximum power density (Pmax) of 32 mW cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work suggests an engineering methodology for catalytic 2D materials to achieve more efficient catalytic systems. Zinc gallate (ZnG), a Lewis acidic material with a thin 2D morphology, can easily form aggregates through layer–layer packing. Inner parts of ZnG aggregates would have difficulty in interacting with substrates. By coating hollow microporous organic polymer (H-MOP) supports with ZnG, the catalytic performance of ZnG can be enhanced due to facilitated contact of substrates with Zn species in shells. H-MOP@ZnG-2 with an optimal ZnG coating showed a much enhanced catalytic performance for the reductive carbon dioxide fixation with amines to formamides compared with ZnG. Various amines can be utilized in the reductive carbon dioxide fixation to formamides. In addition, H-MOP@ZnG-2 showed recyclability, maintaining its catalytic performance for five successive reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass conversion to polymer platforms is presently a crucial issue that requires efficient catalysts. This work suggests a microporous organic polymer (MOP)-based multimetallic heterogeneous Lewis acid catalyst for the synthesis of biomass-derived polymer platforms. MOP nanoparticles bearing tri-Zn macrocycles (MOPN-TZnM) were prepared by the Sonogashira–Hagihara coupling of a predesigned building block bearing tri-Zn macrocyclic moieties with tetra(4-ethynylphenyl)methane. The MOPN-TZnM showed excellent catalytic performance in the transesterification of biomass-derived dimethyl furan-2,5-dicarboxylate with diols to furan-based diols that can be utilized as polymer platforms of polyurethanes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work shows that photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from water by microporous organic polymer (MOP)-based photocatalysts can be enhanced by the incorporation of afterglow phosphorescent materials (AG). The photocatalytic MOPs were introduced on the surface of AG through the Stille coupling of tris(4-trimethylstannylphenyl)amine with 3,7-dibromodibenzothiophene sulfone. The resultant AG–MOP–TADS–Pds showed enhanced photocatalytic activities by 2.4 times, compared with MOP–TADS–Pd, due to the Förster resonance energy transfer or charge transfer between AG and MOP–TADS–Pds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and synthesis of phthalimide derivatives are important goals for applications in fields such as pharmaceutical science and optoelectronics. In the present study, a facile and convenient synthetic pathway (no heat or acid/catalyst needed) is devised to produce phthalimides from a biomass‐derived furan by directly introducing an N‐carbamate group at the C‐2 position of the furan ring via thermal Curtius rearrangement. The electron‐donating N‐carbamate group increases the energy level of the highest occupied molecular orbital of the furan diene, resulting in a significant increase of the rate of the Diels–Alder reaction with maleimide compared to the conventional furfuryl furan. Interestingly, the Diels–Alder adduct smoothly undergoes aromatization (dehydration) to generate the phthalimide motif. It is shown that the biomass‐derived phthalimides can produce supramolecular gels and act as sensors of basic anions like F− and CN−. The novel synthetic pathway to phthalimide derivatives from a biomass‐derived furan can potentially be used to develop novel phthalimide motifs for a variety of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc-glutarate (ZnGA) is a promising catalyst that can form polymers from CO2 and epoxides, thereby contributing to the development of CO2 utilization technologies and future sustainability. One of the obstacles to commercializing ZnGA in polymer industries is its low catalytic activity. In this study, we introduced activated two-dimensional (2D) ZnGA to improve its catalytic activity in polymerization. The morphology-controlled 2D ZnGA was treated with H3Co(CN)6, and a porous granular-type Co-modified ZnGA (Co-ZnGA) was prepared. The morphology of 2D ZnGA is a prerequisite for the activation by H3Co(CN)6. The catalytic properties of Co-ZnGA were evaluated by copolymerization of various epoxides and CO2, and exhibited catalytic activity of 855, 1540, 1190, and 148 g g-cat−1 with propylene oxide, 1,2-epoxyhexane, 1,2-epoxybutane, and styrene oxide, respectively. This study provided a new strategy using 2D ZnGA instead of conventional ZnGA for increasing the catalytic activity in CO2 polymerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]