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Splitting Mono- and Dibranched Alkane Isomers by a Robust Aluminum-Based Metal-Organic Framework Material with Optimal Pore Dimensions.

Liang YuXinglong DongQihan GongShree Ram AcharyaYuhan LinHao WangYu HanTimo ThonhauserJing Li
Published in: Journal of the American Chemical Society (2020)
The separation of alkanes with different degrees of branching, particularly mono- and dibranched isomers, represents a challenging yet important industrial process for the production of premium gasoline blending components with high octane number. We report here the separation of linear/monobranched and dibranched alkanes through complete molecular sieving by a robust aluminum-based MOF material, Al-bttotb (H3bttotb = 4,4',4″-(benzene-1,3,5-triyltris(oxy))tribenzoicacid). Single- and multicomponent adsorption experiments reveal that the material adsorbs linear and monobranched alkanes, but fully excludes their dibranched isomers. Adsorption sites of alkanes within the MOF channels have been identified by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies, and the adsorption mechanism was explored through computational calculations and modeling. The highly selective adsorption of the MOF should be attributed to its optimal pore dimensions.
Keyphrases
  • metal organic framework
  • aqueous solution
  • magnetic resonance imaging
  • molecular dynamics
  • density functional theory
  • molecular dynamics simulations
  • single cell
  • single molecule
  • crystal structure
  • oxide nanoparticles