The Cu-BTC (copper(II)-benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) metal–organic framework was found to be a potential, stable and reusable catalyst for the solvent- and base-free borrowing hydrogen and tandem reactions of an alcohol. The Cu-BTC exhibited borrowing hydrogen activity in N-alkylation of aniline with benzyl alcohol, a model reaction of borrowing hydrogen, giving the saturated product (N-alkylated aniline). However, the formation of unsaturated product (chalcone) in the reaction of acetophenone with benzyl alcohol for α-C-alkylation, another model reaction of borrowing hydrogen, showed potential of Cu-BTC for the catalysis of tandem reactions to synthesize unsaturated products utilizing alcohols as a reagent. The study shows that the Cu-O pair sites of Cu-BTC are involved in the catalysis of borrowing hydrogen and tandem reactions.

Cu-BTC（铜（II）-苯-1,3,5-三羧酸盐）金属有机骨架被发现是一种潜在的、稳定的和可重复使用的催化剂，用于无溶剂和无碱借氢和串联反应酒精。Cu-BTC在苯胺与苯甲醇的N-烷基化反应中表现出借氢活性，这是一个典型的借氢反应，得到饱和产物( N-烷基化苯胺）。然而，在苯乙酮与苯甲醇进行 α-C-烷基化反应（另一种借氢模型反应）中形成不饱和产物（查尔酮）表明 Cu-BTC 具有催化串联反应以利用醇合成不饱和产物的潜力作为试剂。研究表明，Cu-BTC的Cu-O对位点参与了催化借氢和串联反应。