Patent ID: 8920541

Claim:
A method for exchanging imidazolate linker in a zeolitic imidazolate framework composition, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first zeolitic imidazolate framework composition having a tetrahedral framework comprising a general structure, M 1 -IM a -M 2 , wherein M 1 and M 2 comprise the same or different metal cations, and wherein IM a is an imidazolate or a substituted imidazolate linking moiety; (b) providing a liquid composition comprising IM b , wherein IM b is an imidazolate or a substituted imidazolate which is different from IM a ; and (c) contacting the first zeolitic imidazolate framework composition with the liquid composition under conditions sufficient to exchange at least a portion of IM a with at least a portion of IM b and to produce a second zeolitic imidazolate framework composition, M 1 -IM c -M 2 , wherein IM c comprises IM b , and wherein the framework type of the second zeolitic imidazolate framework composition is different from the framework type obtained when a zeolitic imidazolate framework composition is prepared by crystallizing a liquid reaction mixture comprising a solution of M 1 , M 2 and IM b .