Recent Advances in the Functionalization Design and Applications of Natural Polyphenols in Metal–Organic Frameworks

As naturally occurring bioactive molecules derived from plants, polyphenols exhibit significant potential for the functional modification and structural regulation of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) due to their unique ortho-phenolic hydroxyl groups, excellent metal-coordinating ability, and favorable biocompatibility. This review systematically summarizes the functional roles of polyphenols in MOF systems, including their use as organic ligands to directly participate in framework construction, as surface modifiers to optimize MOF interfacial properties, or as encapsulation hosts to enable controlled loading and release. Polyphenol–MOF composites constructed based on these strategies demonstrate broad application prospects in fields such as biomedicine, food science, environmental remediation, and catalysis. This paper further analyzes the key challenges currently facing the research community, including unclear mechanisms of interfacial interactions, insufficient stability assessments under complex conditions, and a lack of scalable green synthesis processes. Future research should delve deeper into the relationship between polyphenol structures and MOF topological configurations and drive the transition from functional composites to functional synergies. These efforts will be key to realizing the practical application of such materials in intelligent food manufacturing, precision medicine, and sustainable environmental management.