Sodalite zeolitic imidazolate frameworks containing Co (ZIF-67) and Zn (ZIF-8) were synthesized at room temperature under aqueous conditions in 10 min. A trialkylamine deprotonated the 2-methylimidazole ligand and nucleated the frameworks. Furthermore, the ligand acted as a structure directing agent in place of an organic solvent.

Using neutron inelastic scattering and diffraction, we have studied the quantum methyl rotation in zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8: Zn(MeIM)(2), MeIM = 2-methylimidazolate). The rotational potential for the CH(3) groups in ZIF-8 is shown to be primarily 3-fold in character. The ground-state tunneling transitions at 1.4 K of 334 +/- 1 mueV for CH(3) groups in hydrogenated ZIF-8 (H-ZIF-8)...

Due to the large porosity and unique framework stability, ZIF-8, a representative zeolitic imidazolate based member of metal-organic framework (MOF) family exhibited excellent adsorption capacities for a wide range of gases, including greenhouse gases. Using in situ FTIR spectroscopy, ZIF-8 framework was investigated when loaded with CO2 in a diamond anvil cell at high pressures far beyond the ...