Boronic-acid-derived covalent organic frameworks: from synthesis to applications

Modular, well-defined, and robust hierarchical functional materials are targets of numerous synthesis endeavors. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are crystalline and porous materials with a vast chemical and structural diversity, and they are synthesized in a bottom-up approach from molecular building blocks by condensation polymerization reactions to form layered or spatial complex structures. Boronic-acid-containing building blocks were the first to be employed as monomers in the synthesis of COFs, setting the foundations for an exceedingly growing, exciting field of research. Here, an overview is provided on boronic-acid-derived COFs, including synthesis, building block design and mechanism of COF formation, structures and properties, processing and implementation into functional devices, as well as examples of application for which these materials have been studied.