Efficient and selective oxidation of sulfur mustard using singlet oxygen generated by a pyrene based metal organic framework.
A pyrene based metal organic framework (MOF) NU 1000 was used as a heterogeneous photocatalyst for the degradation of a sulfur mustard simulant, 2 chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES) Using irradiation from a commercially available and inexpensive ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diode (LED) singlet oxygen (1O2) is generated by NU 1000 and selectively oxidizes CEES to the nontoxic product 2 chloroethyl ethyl sulfoxide (CEESO) More importantly, this method was tested on the warfare agent sulfur mustard (HD) for the first time using 1O2 and a MOF catalyst, and this method proved to be effective in oxidizing sulfur mustard to nontoxic products without forming the toxic sulfone by product.
Journal of materials chemistry. A