A diphenylthiadiazole quinoxaline-decorated Zr-metal-organic framework for photocatalytic organic aerobic oxidation reactions under visible light

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), due to their versatile designability and adjustability in structures and functionalities, offer a promising platform for developing heterogeneous photocatalysts with applications in various organic transformations. The rational design and functionalization of organic linkers play a crucial role in optimizing their photocatalytic performance. Here we report a photoactive diphenylthiadiazole quinoxaline (DTQD) moiety decorated UiO-68 isoreticular Zr(IV)-based MOF (<i>i.e.</i>UiO-68-DTQD) synthesized through an approach of the mix-and-match dicarboxylate strategy. When exposed to white LED irradiation in an open-air atmosphere, the MOF UiO-68-DTQD exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity for the aerobic oxidation of sulfides and amines oxidative coupling compared to its benzothiadiazole functionalized analogue MOF. Furthermore, UiO-68-DTQD demonstrated well stability, retaining its crystalline structure and catalytic efficiency over three consecutive cycles.