Delineating similarities and dissimilarities in the use of metal organic frameworks and zeolites as heterogeneous catalysts for organic reactions

This perspective article is aimed at providing a comparison of similarities and dissimilarities between the catalytic properties of zeolites and metal organic frameworks (MOFs). In the first part of the paper, we comment the general characteristics of MOFs with relevance to catalysis, making emphasis of how the properties of MOFs can serve to compliment those of zeolites as catalysts. The lower chemical and thermal stability of MOFs compared to zeolites is commented and correlated to the requirements for some liquid-phase reactions conducted under mild conditions. In the second part, we discuss the behaviour of zeolites and MOFs for four types of general organic reactions (acid catalysed, base catalysed, oxidation and hydrogenations). Particular attention is paid to provide critical comments on how MOFs could be adapted by design or can be modified by post-synthetic treatments to give well performing catalysts.