Reverse-selective metal–organic framework materials for the efficient separation and purification of light hydrocarbons

• The recent progress in exploiting reverse-selective MOF materials for the efficient separation and purification of light hydrocarbons has been summarized. • The performance evaluation of reverse adsorptive separation has been presented and the strategies adopted to realize the reverse adsorption behaviors have been summarized. • The structure–property relationship of reverse-selective MOFs has been exhibited. • The existing challenges and the future prospects of reverse-selective MOFs in the separation of hydrocarbons mixtures are discussed. The separation and purification process of hydrocarbons is one of the crucial and daunting challenges in the petrochemistry field, which is widely depended on cryogenic distillation by heat-driven for separation. Advanced alternative methods have been proposed, such as extraction, membrane separation, adsorptive separation. Adsorptive separation process based on selective porous solid adsorbent is particularly noteworthy due to the advantages of high efficiency and low energy consumption. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as one kind of novel crystalline organic–inorganic hybrid porous solid materials, have been widely used in the field of separation and purification benefiting from their unique structure features. There are many reverse adsorption behaviors during the separations of hydrocarbons mixtures using MOFs, that is it could directly adsorb a small part of impurities and the desired target substance could be directly obtained, which could eliminate the desorption process and make the separation process more energy efficient, greener and environmentally friendly. Recent years, such studies are increasing rapidly and therefore need to be summarized for at a glance. In this review, we intend to exhibit the development of reverse-selective MOFs, which is superior to other types porous materials for the separation of light hydrocarbons. The evaluation of reverse adsorptive separation has been described and the strategies adopted to realize the reverse adsorption behaviors have been summarized. Furthermore, the existing challenges and the future prospects of reverse-selective MOFs in this active field are discussed elaborately.