Metal-organic framework materials (MOFs) are highly porous entities comprising a multidentate organic ligand coordinated to multiple metal centers. MOFs having ambient condition stability may comprise a plurality of metal clusters comprising one or more M.sub.4O clusters (M is a metal), and a plurality of 4-pyrazolecarboxylate ligands coordinated to the plurality of metal clusters to define an at least partially crystalline network structure having a plurality of internal pores. The MOFs may have a Pa3 symmetry, which upon activation may convert into Fm3m symmetry. Methods for synthesizing the MOFs may comprise combining a metal source, such as a preformed metal cluster, with 4-pyrazolecarboxylic acid, and reacting the preformed metal cluster with the 4-pyrazolecarboxylic acid to form a MOF having an at least partially crystalline network structure with a plurality of internal pores defined therein and comprising a plurality of metal clusters coordinated to a multidentate organic ligand comprising 4-pyrazolecarboxylate.

Provided are compositions that include a metal-organic framework (MOF) including a framework defining an internal volume, an enzyme disposed within the internal volume, and a surfactant. Also provided are methods of making the compositions and their use.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) may have Zn(II), Pb(II), and/or Cd(II) as a central metal ion, a 4,4′-bipyridylethylene (bpe) ligand as a first ligand; and fumaric acid (fum) and/or oxalic acid (ox) as a second ligand, wherein the 4,4′-bipyridylethylene ligands are stacked in the MOF, and wherein a distance between two consecutive 4,4′-bipyridylethylene ligands is less than 5 Å. Cycloadditions, particularly photoinduced [2+2] cycloadditions may be catalyzed by such MOFs, and/or the conversion of photoinduced [2+2] cycloadditions in inventive MOFs may be increased by mechanical force, such as by grinding.

A high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst, a method for fabricating the same, and applications of the same are disclosed. An organic complexing ligand, which is formed via mixing fatty alcohols and alicyclic carbonates, is used to generate a high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst. The high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst includes at least one double-metal-cyanide compound, at least one organic complexing ligand, and an optional functionalized compound. The double-metal-cyanide catalyst of the present invention has a higher activity than the conventional double-metal-cyanide catalysts. The polyols generated by the present invention has an insignificant amount of high-molecular-weight compounds.

The present invention provides a method for efficiently manufacturing a phosphonate ester by phosphonylating an alcohol under mild conditions, and a method for manufacturing a phosphate ester. In the method for manufacturing a phosphonate ester of the present invention, a compound represented by the formula (1) is reacted with a compound represented by the formula (2) in the presence of a zinc catalyst to obtain a compound represented by the formula (3).

##STR00001##

X represents an organic group. R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group. R.sup.2 represents an organic group.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) may have Zn(II), Pb(II), and/or Cd(II) as a central metal ion; a 4,4′-bipyridylethylene (bpe) ligand as a first ligand; and fumaric acid (fum) and/or oxalic acid (ox) as a second ligand, wherein the 4,4′-bipyridylethylene ligands are stacked in the MOF, and wherein a distance between two consecutive 4,4′-bipyridylethylene ligands is less than 5 Å. Cycloadditions, particularly photoinduced [2+2] cycloadditions may be catalyzed by such MOFs, and/or the conversion of photoinduced [2+2] cycloadditions in inventive MOFs may be increased by mechanical force, such as by grinding.

A high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst, a method for fabricating the same, and applications of the same are disclosed. An organic complexing ligand, which is formed via mixing fatty alcohols and alicyclic carbonates, is used to generate a high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst. The high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst includes at least one double-metal-cyanide compound, at least one organic complexing ligand, and an optional functionalized compound. The double-metal-cyanide catalyst of the present invention has a higher activity than the conventional double-metal-cyanide catalysts. The polyols generated by the present invention has an insignificant amount of high-molecular-weight compounds.

A method for dehydrocoupling silanes and amines. The method comprises contacting: (a) an aliphatic amine; (b) a silane; and (c) a catalyst which is ZnX.sub.2, wherein X is alkyl, chloride, bromide, iodide, trifluoromethanesulfonate, bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonamide, tosylate, methanesulfonate or O.sub.3S(CF.sub.2).sub.xCF.sub.3 wherein x is an integer from 1 to 10.

A compound capable of coordinating with a metal includes a chemical structure as shown in claim 1, in which: EPD represents a group having an electron pair donor atom; B and B′ are each independently an aryl group, a heteroaryl group, an alkenyl group, or alkynyl group, or B and B′ form a spirocyclic group; and R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are selected from various substituents.

The present invention relates to a metal complex compound which are prepared in the form of a metal nanostructure having various stereo structures and thus can be used as a catalyst or the like having an excellent activity in preparing a polyalkylene carbonate resin and the like, and a metal nanostructure and a catalyst composition comprising the same. The metal complex compound comprises a plurality of linear inorganic coordination polymer chains having a form in which an oxalic acid is coordinated and linked to a transition metal and the plurality of polymer chains are linked to each other via a predetermined neutral ligand.