A Porous Cu(II)-MOF with Proline Embellished Cavity: Cooperative Catalysis for the Baylis-Hillman Reaction

l-Proline has been covalently attached in a rigid linear ligand, H4L, having an isophthalate moiety at each terminal to form the chiral ligand, H4LPRO. This linker has been used for the construction of a porous MOF, LCuPRO. The free l-proline moiety in the cavity of the framework in the presence of imidazole as a cocatalyst functions synergistically to catalyze the Baylis–Hillman reaction between α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds and aromatic aldehydes. High porosity of the framework is proven by the nitrogen adsorption isotherm.