Structural diversity of cyclodextrin metal-organic frameworks enables their diverse applications

Abstract

Cyclodextrin-based metal-organic frameworks (CD-MOFs) constitute a distinctive family of porous solids that combine the modularity of coordination networks with the host-guest chemistry of renewable cyclic oligosaccharides. This review consolidates advances in the synthesis, structural diversity, and functional performance of CD-MOFs derived from α-, β-, and γ-cyclodextrins. Comparative structural analysis shows that framework topology and pore accessibility arise from coupled effects of cyclodextrin cavity size, metal coordination geometry, and synthetic route. Alkali-metal-linked frameworks generally form hydrophilic and biocompatible networks favorable for biomedical and environmental uses, while transition-metal incorporation improves mechanical strength and catalytic activity. Assessment of reported applications in gas storage, water purification, catalysis, and drug delivery demonstrates that performance trends correlate more strongly with accessible pore volume and chemical functionality than with crystallographic complexity. Constraints related to scale-up and hydrolytic stability continue to hinder practical adoption. This review advances transferable design principles that emphasize pore continuity, chemical resilience, and application-relevant metrics rather than structural intricacy. Progress in this field will depend on systematic benchmarking against established sorbents and the development of structure-property correlations grounded in realistic operating environments.