Microwave Synthesis of a Porous Metal-Organic Framework, Nickel(II) Dihydroxyterephthalate and its Catalytic Properties in Oxidation of Cyclohexene

A porous coordination solid of nickel(II) dihydroxyterephthalate has been synthesized by the microwave-assisted (MW) method. The synthesized nickel(II) dihyroxylterephthalate was designated by the general formula of [<TEX>Ni₂</TEX>(dhtp) <TEX>(H₂O)₂]·8H₂O</TEX> (where, dhtp = 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalate, denoted by Ni-DHTP). The effect of microwave-irradiation temperature and time of irradiation on the porosity and morphological changes in the solids have also been investigated. The catalytic performance of Ni-DHTP synthesized by MW method has been studied in the oxidation of cyclohexene with aqueous <TEX>H₂O₂</TEX>, which gave cyclohexene oxide as the primary product and 2-cyclohexene-1-ol as a major product.