Metal−Peptide Frameworks (MPFs):  “Bioinspired” Metal Organic Frameworks

Chiral metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted a growing interest for their potential use in energy technologies, asymmetric catalysis, chiral separation, and on a more basic level, the creation of new topologies in inorganic materials. The current paper is the first report on a peptide-based MOF, a metal peptide framework (MPF), constructed from an oligovaline peptide family developed earlier by our group (Mantion, A.; et al. Macromol. Biosci. 2007, 7, 208). We have used a simple oligopeptide, Z-(l-Val)2-l-Glu(OH)-OH, to grow porous copper and calcium MPFs. The MPFs form thanks to the self-assembling properties of the peptide and specific metal−peptide and metal−ammonia interactions. They are stable up to ca. 250 °C and have some internal porosity, which makes them a promising prototype for the further development of MPFs.