Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025

Although the beginning of October is usually associated with cold and cloudy weather (at least in Poland), it’s the hottest time of the year in the scientific world. That’s when the Nobel Prizes in various disciplines are announced. In 2025, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi “for the development of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)”.[1]

What are metal-organic frameworks?

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are materials formed by combining metal cations with organic ligands capable of binding to at least two metal centers simultaneously. As a result, large but highly ordered polymeric structures with internal cavities are created. These cavities give MOFs their porous nature, which leads to a wide range of unique properties. By carefully selecting organic ligands, scientists can tune the pore size and, consequently, the physical and chemical characteristics of MOFs.

Applications of metal-organic frameworks

The porosity of MOFs enables reversible gas absorption and purification. CALF-20, formed from zinc cations and 1,2,4-triazole, is highly efficient at capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.[2] MOF-303, synthesized by combining aluminum cations with sodium 1H-pyrazole-3,5-dicarboxylate, can harvest water from air under low-humidity conditions – a property useful for water generation in desert environments.[3] Another remarkable material, NU-1501, obtained from aluminum cations and an aromatic ligand containing six carboxyl groups, shows excellent reversible absorption of hydrogen and methane.[4] Some MOFs have already moved beyond the research stage and found commercial applications. They are used in systems delivering high-purity volatile gases—such as arsine, phosphine, and boron trifluoride—for the electronics industry.[5] Beyond gas adsorption, MOFs are being explored as chemical sensors, drug delivery systems, and catalysts.

Organic ligands for MOFs from Synthex Technologies

Synthex Technologies is actively contributing to the metal-organic framework revolution. Our portfolio includes, among others, 1,3-bis((2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl)benzene (STC0003, 1,3-bimb), one of the key building blocks for cadmium- and zinc-based MOFs. These materials have been studied as sensors and photocatalysts.[6,7]
Interested in synthesizing your own MOFs, but the required ligands aren’t commercially available? Don’t worry – contact us. We’re ready to take on new synthetic challenges and deliver the ligands you need as part of our custom synthesis services.

Sources:

[1] Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 - Press Release
[2] doi: 10.1126/science.abi7281
[3] doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aat3198
[4] doi: 10.1126/science.aaz8881
[5] Ion-X Solutions
[6] doi: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.133239
[7] doi: 10.1039/C5CE01157D

Author:
Marcin Budny, PhD, is the Head of the Custom Synthesis Laboratory at Synthex Technologies.