A Robust and Biocompatible Bismuth Ellagate MOF Synthesized Under Green Ambient Conditions

J Am Chem Soc. 2020 Sep 30;142(39):16795-16804. doi: 10.1021/jacs.0c07525. Epub 2020 Sep 17.

Abstract

The first bioinspired microporous metal-organic framework (MOF) synthesized using ellagic acid, a common natural antioxidant and polyphenol building unit, is presented. Bi2O(H2O)2(C14H2O8nH2O (SU-101) was inspired by bismuth phenolate metallodrugs, and could be synthesized entirely from nonhazardous or edible reagents under ambient aqueous conditions, enabling simple scale-up. Reagent-grade and affordable dietary supplement-grade ellagic acid was sourced from tree bark and pomegranate hulls, respectively. Biocompatibility and colloidal stability were confirmed by in vitro assays. The material exhibits remarkable chemical stability for a bioinspired MOF (pH = 2-14, hydrothermal conditions, heated organic solvents, biological media, SO2 and H2S), attributed to the strongly chelating phenolates. A total H2S uptake of 15.95 mmol g-1 was recorded, representing one of the highest H2S capacities for a MOF, where polysulfides are formed inside the pores of the material. Phenolic phytochemicals remain largely unexplored as linkers for MOF synthesis, opening new avenues to design stable, eco-friendly, scalable, and low-cost MOFs for diverse applications, including drug delivery.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Biocompatible Materials / chemical synthesis*
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry
  • Bismuth / chemistry*
  • Density Functional Theory
  • Ellagic Acid / chemistry*
  • Metal-Organic Frameworks / chemical synthesis*
  • Metal-Organic Frameworks / chemistry
  • Molecular Structure

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Metal-Organic Frameworks
  • Ellagic Acid
  • Bismuth