Nuclear chemistry

Metal

Nanocages

Catalysis

Uranium

Metallurgy

Materials science

Aromaticity

Transition metal

Molecule

Physical chemistry

Organic chemistry

Chemical stability

Thorium

Crystallography

Chemistry

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Assembled from [Th48 Ni6 ] nanocages, the first transition-metal (TM)-thorium metal-organic framework (MOF, 1) has been synthesized and structurally characterized. 1 exhibits high solvent and acid/base stability, and resistance to 400 kGy β irradiation. Notably, 1 captures ReO4- (an analogue of radioactive 99 TcO4- , a key species in nuclear wastes) with a maximum capacity of 807 mg g-1 , falling among the largest values known to date. Furthermore, 1 can enrich methylene blue (MB) and can also serve as an effective and recyclable catalyst for CO2 fixation with epoxides; there is no significant loss of catalytic activity after 10 cycles. Theoretical studies with nucleus-independent chemical shifts and natural bond orbital analysis reveal that the [Th6 O8 ] clusters in 1 have a unique stable electronic structure with (d-p)π aromaticity, partially rationalising 1's stability.

High Uptake of ReO4− and CO2 Conversion by a Radiation‐Resistant Thorium–Nickle [Th48Ni6] Nanocage‐Based Metal–Organic Framework