Reticular Chemistry: Past, Present, and Future

Abstract

Reticular chemistry—stitching molecular building blocks with strong bonds to produce extended, crystalline, porous frameworks—has enabled a new paradigm in materials design. This article traces the field’s evolution from early molecular hosts to the discovery of metal-organic framework (MOF)-5 and an expansive family of MOFs and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) characterized by ultrahigh surface areas and tunable pore chemistry. Selected examples (MOF-808, MOF-303, MOF-LA2-1, COF-999) demonstrate excellent performance in CO 2 capture and atmospheric water harvesting and show great potential for addressing environmental challenges. The article highlights scale-up and commercialization efforts and outlines the “Digital Discovery Cycle,” where AI, robotics, and data-driven synthesis accelerate crystallization and screening. The piece concludes by situating reticular materials as promising, scalable solutions for climate challenges and by mapping directions for future research and deployment.