Incorporating Metal Organic Frameworks within Microstructured Optical Fibers toward Scalable Photoreactors

Optical fiber technology has revolutionized the telecommunications industry, though is still under-utilized in chemistry. Optical fibers open many avenues for introducing, and containing, light in chemical reactions, as part of a photoreactor. This work shows, for the first time, a design strategy for incorporating a photocatalytic, nanoporous framework (Co ZIF-67) within the internal capillaries of an optical fiber, in doing so creating an all-in-one, plug-in-and-play photoreactor. This system improves the reactivity of the photocatalyst, relative to the powdered form, for C-H activation leading to C-C bond formation, a significant process in pharmaceutical and organic synthesis. Performing this reaction using solar energy, and low temperature demonstrates the clear potential for these systems for large scale industrial applications.