Chemistry of coordinatively unsaturated centers in zeolites

The concept of coordinatively unsaturated centers (CUCs) initially introduced in the realm of homogeneous catalysis using organometallic complexes has demonstrated its indispensability within the context of both enzyme and heterogeneous catalysis. With uniform molecule-sized channels high surface area and abundant basic/acidic sites zeolite can be regarded as an ideal scaffold for hosting CUCs and enabling their interaction with small molecules. Here an overview of contemporary advancements on CUCs within zeolite matrices and their interaction with small molecules is presented. Diverse methodologies for introducing CUCs to zeolites and the corresponding characterization techniques are explored. Also in-depth analyses of small-molecule activation on CUCs and the underlying mechanism covering a wide range of important chemical transformations are performed.