Metal-organic frameworks of p-hydroxybenzoic acid: synthesis, structure and ring-opening polymerization capability.

<p dir="ltr">Two new, isostructural, metal–organic frameworks {[Co(O₂CC₆H₄O)(DMF)]₂}_<em>n</em> and {[Mn(O₂CC₆H₄O)(DMF)]₂}_<em>n</em> have been synthesised and structurally characterized. Use of <i>p</i>-hydroxybenzoic acid resulted in a three-dimensional MOF featuring a linker with a carboxylic group and a <i>para</i>-hydroxyl group. Ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone and δ-valerolactone has been performed using these MOFs as catalysts, and results compared with the known zinc MOF Zn(O₂CC₆H₄O). The resulting products are predominantly cyclic polymers. The manganese and zinc MOFs exhibit significant recyclability during ring opening polymerization.