biostudies-literatureUnknown8(40)Zhang XNumerous efforts are being made toward constructing artificial nanopockets inside heterogeneous catalysts to implement challenging reactions that are difficult to occur on traditional heterogeneous catalysts. Here, the enzyme-mimetic nanopockets are fabricated inside the typical UiO-66 by coordinating zirconium nodes with terephthalate (BDC) ligands and monocarboxylate modulators including formic acid (FC), acetic acid (AC), or trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). When used in transfer hydrogenation of alkyl levulinates with isopropanol toward γ-valerolactone (GVL), these modulators endow zirconium sites with enhanced activity and selectivity and good stability. The catalytic activity of UiO-66FC is ~30 times that of UiO-66, also outperforming the state-of-the-art heterogeneous catalysts. Distinct Science advanceseadd5678https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9544332biostudies-literatureCreating enzyme-mimicking nanopockets in metal-organic frameworks for catalysis.PMC9544332Liu HLi GTang ZAn PZhang XMa YWang HCui CYang CYan XfalseCreating enzyme-mimicking nanopockets in metal-organic frameworks for catalysis.Numerous efforts are being made toward constructing artificial nanopockets inside heterogeneous catalysts to implement challenging reactions that are difficult to occur on traditional heterogeneous catalysts. Here, the enzyme-mimetic nanopockets are fabricated inside the typical UiO-66 by coordinating zirconium nodes with terephthalate (BDC) ligands and monocarboxylate modulators including formic acid (FC), acetic acid (AC), or trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). When used in transfer hydrogenation of alkyl levulinates with isopropanol toward γ-valerolactone (GVL), these modulators endow zirconium sites with enhanced activity and selectivity and good stability. The catalytic activity of UiO-66FC is ~30 times that of UiO-66, also outperforming the state-of-the-art heterogeneous catalysts. Distinct 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Oct2025-04-22T10:38:53.878Z2025-02-18T23:58:20.293ZS-EPMC95443323620634210.1126/sciadv.add5678