Crystalline C—C and C═C Bond-Linked Chiral Covalent Organic Frameworks

While crystalline covalent organic frameworks (COFs) linked by C–C bonds are highly desired in synthetic chemistry, it remains a formidable challenge to synthesize. Efforts to generate C–C single bonds in COFs via de novo synthesis usually afford amorphous structures rather than crystalline phases. We demonstrate here that C–C single bond-based COFs can be prepared by direct reduction of C═C bond-linked frameworks via crystal-to-crystal transformation. By Knoevenagel polycondensation of chiral tetrabenzaldehyde of dibinaphthyl-22-crown-6 with 1,4-phenylenediacetonitrile or 4,4′-biphenyldiacetonitrile, two olefin-linked chiral COFs with 2D layered tetragonal structure are prepared. Reduction of olefin linkages of the as-prepared CCOFs produces two C–C single bond linked frameworks, which retains high crystallinity and porosity as well as high chemical stability in both strong acids and bases. The quantitative reduction is confirmed by Fourier transform infrared and cross-polarization magic angle spinning 13C NMR spectroscopy. Compared to the pristine structures, the reduced CCOFs display blue-shifted emission with enhanced quantum yields and fluorescence lifetimes, while the parent CCOFs exhibit higher enantioselectivity than the reduced analogs when be used as fluorescent sensors to detect chiral amino alcohols via supramolecular interactions with the built-in crown ether moieties. This work provides an attractive strategy for making chemically stable functionalized COFs with new linkages that are otherwise hard to produce.