Metal-organic frameworks for organic transformations by photocatalysis and photothermal catalysis

Organic transformation by light-driven catalysis, especially, photocatalysis and photothermal catalysis, denoted as photo(thermal) catalysis, is an efficient, green, and economical route to produce value-added compounds. In recent years, owing to their diverse structure types, tunable pore sizes, and abundant active sites, metal-organic framework (MOF)-based photo(thermal) catalysis has attracted broad interest in organic transformations. In this review, we provide a comprehensive and systematic overview of MOF-based photo(thermal) catalysis for organic transformations. First, the general mechanisms, unique advantages, and strategies to improve the performance of MOFs in photo(thermal) catalysis are discussed. Then, outstanding examples of organic transformations over MOF-based photo(thermal) catalysis are introduced according to the reaction type. In addition, several representative advanced characterization techniques used for revealing the charge reaction kinetics and reaction intermediates of MOF-based organic transformations by photo(thermal) catalysis are presented. Finally, the prospects and challenges in this field are proposed. This review aims to inspire the rational design and development of MOF-based materials with improved performance in organic transformations by photocatalysis and photothermal catalysis.

Photocatalytic systems: reactions, mechanism, and applications

The photocatalytic field revolves around the utilization of photon energy to initiate various chemical reactions using non-adsorbing substrates, through processes such as single electron transfer, energy transfer, or atom transfer. The efficiency of this field depends on the capacity of a light-absorbing metal complex, organic molecule, or substance (commonly referred to as photocatalysts or PCs) to execute these processes. Photoredox techniques utilize photocatalysts, which possess the essential characteristic of functioning as both an oxidizing and a reducing agent upon activation. In addition, it is commonly observed that photocatalysts exhibit optimal performance when irradiated with low-energy light sources, while still retaining their catalytic activity under ambient temperatures. The implementation of photoredox catalysis has resuscitated an array of synthesis realms, including but not limited to radical chemistry and photochemistry, ultimately affording prospects for the development of the reactions. Also, photoredox catalysis is utilized to resolve numerous challenges encountered in medicinal chemistry, as well as natural product synthesis. Moreover, its applications extend across diverse domains encompassing organic chemistry and catalysis. The significance of photoredox catalysts is rooted in their utilization across various fields, including biomedicine, environmental pollution management, and water purification. Of course, recently, research has evaluated photocatalysts in terms of cost, recyclability, and pollution of some photocatalysts and dyes from an environmental point of view. According to these new studies, there is a need for critical studies and reviews on photocatalysts and photocatalytic processes to provide a solution to reduce these limitations. As a future perspective for research on photocatalysts, it is necessary to put the goals of researchers on studies to overcome the limitations of the application and efficiency of photocatalysts to promote their use on a large scale for the development of industrial activities. Given the significant implications of the subject matter, this review seeks to delve into the fundamental tenets of the photocatalyst domain and its associated practical use cases. This review endeavors to demonstrate the prospective of a powerful tool known as photochemical catalysis and elucidate its underlying tenets. Additionally, another goal of this review is to expound upon the various applications of photocatalysts.

Preparation of a Nanosheeted Uranyl-Organic Framework for Enhanced Photocatalytic Oxidation of Toluene

Preparation of ultrathin metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets is an effective way to improve the catalytic efficiency of MOF photocatalysts owing to their superiority in reducing the recombination rate of photogenerated electrons and holes and enhancing charge transfer. Herein, a light-sensitive two-dimensional uranyl-organic framework named HNU-68 was synthesized. Due to its interlayer stacking structure, the corresponding ultrathin nanosheets with a thickness of 4.4 nm (HNU-68-N) can be obtained through ultrasonic exfoliation. HNU-68-N exhibited an enhanced ability to selectively oxidize toluene to benzaldehyde, with the value of turnover frequency being approximately three times higher than that of the bulk HNU-68. This enhancement is attributed to the smaller size and interface resistance of the layered HNU-68-N nanosheets, which facilitate more thorough substrate contact and faster charge transfer, leading to an improvement in the photocatalytic efficiency. This work provides a potential candidate for the application of ultrathin uranyl-based nanosheets.

Reticular framework materials for photocatalytic organic reactions

Photocatalytic organic reactions, harvesting solar energy to produce high value-added organic chemicals, have attracted increasing attention as a sustainable approach to address the global energy crisis and environmental issues. Reticular framework materials, including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs), are widely considered as promising candidates for photocatalysis owing to their high crystallinity, tailorable pore environment and extensive structural diversity. Although the design and synthesis of MOFs and COFs have been intensively developed in the last 20 years, their applications in photocatalytic organic transformations are still in the preliminary stage, making their systematic summary necessary. Thus, this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding and useful guidelines for the exploration of suitable MOF and COF photocatalysts towards appropriate photocatalytic organic reactions. The commonly used reactions are categorized to facilitate the identification of suitable reaction types. From a practical viewpoint, the fundamentals of experimental design, including active species, performance evaluation and external reaction conditions, are discussed in detail for easy experimentation. Furthermore, the latest advances in photocatalytic organic reactions of MOFs and COFs, including their composites, are comprehensively summarized according to the actual active sites, together with the discussion of their structure-property relationship. We believe that this study will be helpful for researchers to design novel reticular framework photocatalysts for various organic synthetic applications.

Harnessing Radicals in Confined Supramolecular Environments Made Possible by MOFs

Researching and utilizing radical intermediates in organic synthetic chemistry have innovated discoveries in methodology and theory. Reactions concerning free radical species opened new pathways beyond the frame of the two-electron mechanism while commonly characterized as rampant processes lacking selectivity. As a result, research in this field has always focused on the controllable generation of radical species and determining factors of selectivity. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as compelling candidates as catalysts in radical chemistry. From a catalytic point of view, the porous nature of MOFs entails an inner phase for the reaction that could offer possibilities for the regulation of reactivity and selectivity. From a material science perspecti ve, MOFs are organic-inorganic hybrid materials that integrate functional units in organic compounds and complex forms in the tunable long-ranged periodic structure. In this account, we summarized our progress in the application of MOFs in radical chemistry in three parts: (1) The generation of radical species; (2) The weak interactions and site selectivity; (3) Regio- and stereo-selectivity. The unique role of MOFs play in these paradigms is demonstrated in a supramolecular narrative through the analyses of the multi-constituent collaboration within the MOF and the interactions between MOFs and the intermediates during the reactions.

Efficient visible light-initiated hydrogenation of nitrobenzene for chemoselective production of aniline, azoxybenzene, azobenzene and hydrazobenzene over CQDs/CdS nanocomposites

Carbon quantum dot (CQD)-decorated CdS nanocomposites were successfully fabricated via the self-assembly of CdS in the presence of preformed CQDs and were found to be efficient photocatalysts for the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene under visible light. Due to the presence of the frustrated Lewis acid-base pairs (FLPs) in their structure, CQDs act as an efficient catalyst to promote the proton-coupled hydrogenation of nitrobenzene over CQDs/CdS nanocomposites. Controllable and chemoselective hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to produce aniline, azoxybenzene, azobenzene and hydrazobenzene can be realized over CQDs/CdS via simply regulating the reaction medium including the hydrogen source, the solvent and the alkalinity. This study provides a highly efficient and economical photocatalytic system for the controllable and chemoselective hydrogenation of nitrobenzene under visible light. This work also highlights the great potential of semiconductor-based photocatalysis in light-initiated organic syntheses.

Cobalt isatin-Schiff-base derivative of MOF as a heterogeneous multifunctional bio-photocatalyst for sunlight-induced tandem air oxidation condensation process

A sunlight-induced tandem air oxidation-condensation of alcohols with ortho-substituted anilines or malononitrile for the efficient synthesis of benz-imidazoles/-oxazoles/-thiazoles, or benzylidene malononitrile catalyzed by Co-isatin-Schiff-base-MIL-101(Fe) as a heterogeneous multifunctional bio-photocatalyst is reported. In these reactions, Co-isatin-Schiff-base-MIL-101(Fe) acts both as a photocatalyst, and a Lewis acid to catalyze the reaction of the in-situ formed aldehydes with o-substituted anilines or malononitrile. A significant decrease in the band gap energy and an increase in the characteristic emission of MIL-101(Fe) after functionalization with cobalt Schiff-base according to the DRS analysis and fluorescence spectrophotometry, respectively, indicate that the photocatalytic effectiveness of the catalyst is associated primarily to the synergetic influence of Fe-O cluster and Co-Schiff-base. EPR results obviously pointed out that Co-isatin-Schiff-base-MIL-101(Fe) is capable of creating ¹O₂ and O₂^⋅- as active oxygen species under visible light irradiation. Using an inexpensive catalyst, sunlight irradiation, air as a cost-effective and abundant oxidant, and a low amount of the catalyst with recoverability and durability in ethanol as a green solvent, make this methodology as an environmentally friendly process with energy-saving organic synthetic strategies. Furthermore, Co-isatin-Schiff-base-MIL-101(Fe) displays excellent photocatalytic antibacterial activity under sunlight irradiation against E. coli, S. aureus and S. pyogenes. Based on our knowledge, this is the first report of using a bio-photocatalyst for the synthesis of the target molecules.

Tunable Photoinduced Charge Transfer at the Interface between Benzoselenadiazole-Based MOF Linkers and Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Chromophore

Structural modifications to molecular systems that lead to the control of photon emission processes at the interfaces between photoactive materials play a key role in the development of fluorescence sensors, X-ray imaging scintillators, and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In this work, two donor-acceptor systems were used to explore and reveal the effects of slight changes in chemical structure on interfacial excited-state transfer processes. A thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) molecule was chosen as the molecular acceptor. Meanwhile, two benzoselenadiazole-core MOF linker precursors, Ac-SDZ and SDZ, with the presence and absence of a C≡C bridge, respectively, were carefully chosen as energy and/or electron-donor moieties. We found that the SDZ -TADF donor-acceptor system exhibited efficient energy transfer, as evidenced by steady-state and time-resolved laser spectroscopy. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that the Ac-SDZ-TADF system exhibited both interfacial energy and electron transfer processes. Femtosecond-mid-IR (fs-mid-IR) transient absorption measurements revealed that the electron transfer process takes place on the picosecond timescale. Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations confirmed that photoinduced electron transfer occurred in this system and demonstrated that it takes place from C≡C in Ac-SDZ to the central unit of the TADF molecule. This work provides a straightforward way to modulate and tune excited-state energy/charge transfer processes at donor-acceptor interfaces.

Building a cobaloxime-based metal-organic framework for photocatalytic aerobic oxidation of arylboronic acids to phenols

Herein, the design and synthesis of an unprecedented cobaloxime-based zirconium metal-organic framework (Zr-TCPCo) with an she net is reported. This heterogeneous material as a photocatalyst exhibits excellent catalytic activity for aerobic oxidation of arylboronic acids to phenols. Recycling experiments demonstrate the stability and reusability of Zr-TCPCo as a robust catalyst.

A Porphyrin-Based Covalent Organic Framework as Metal-Free Visible-LED-Light Photocatalyst for One-Pot Tandem Benzyl Alcohol Oxidation/Knoevenagel Condensation

A porphyrin-based covalent organic framework (COF), namely Porph-UOZ-COF (UOZ stands for the University of Zabol), has been designed and prepared via the condensation reaction of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)porphyrin (DHPP) with 1,4-benzenediboronic acid (DBBA), under the solvothermal condition. The solid was characterized by spectroscopic, microscopic, and powder X-ray diffraction techniques. The resultant multifunctional COF revealed an outstanding performance in catalyzing a one-pot tandem selective benzylic C-H photooxygenation/Knoevenagel condensation reaction in the absence of additives or metals under visible-LED-light irradiation. Notably, the catalytic activity of the COF was superior to individual organic counterparts and the COF was both stable and reusable for four consecutive runs. The present approach illustrates the potential of COFs as promising metal-free (photo) catalysts for the development of tandem reactions.

Rational Design of a Core-Shell Structured Plasmonic Au@MIL-100(Fe) Nanocomposite for Efficient Photocatalysis

The utilization of solar light to trigger organic syntheses for the production of value-added chemicals has attracted increasing recent research attention. The integration of plasmonic Au NPs (NPs = nanoparticles) with MOFs would provide a new way for the development of highly efficient photocatalytic systems. In this manuscript, a bottle-around-ship strategy was adopted for the successful synthesis of a core-shell structured Au_pvp@MIL-100(Fe) (PVP = polyvinylpyrrolidone) nanocomposite in room temperature. The as-obtained core-shell structured Au_pvp@MIL-100(Fe) show improved photocatalytic performance for benzyl alcohol oxidation under visible light, because of the migration of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) excited hot electrons from plasmonic Au NPs to MIL-100(Fe), resulting in the production of more active O₂^•- radicals. The removal of the capping agent PVP from Au_pvp@MIL-100(Fe) significantly enhanced the photocatalytic performance, because of an improved charge transfer from plasmonic Au NPs to MIL-100(Fe). This study demonstrates an efficient strategy of fabricating superior photocatalytic systems by a rational coupling of plasmonic Au NPs and photocatalytic active MOFs into a core-shell structured nanocomposite.

Metal-Organic Frameworks as Photocatalysts for Solar-Driven Overall Water Splitting

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been frequently used as photocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) using sacrificial agents with UV-vis or visible light irradiation. The aim of the present review is to summarize the use of MOFs as solar-driven photocatalysts targeting to overcome the current efficiency limitations in overall water splitting (OWS). Initially, the fundamentals of the photocatalytic OWS under solar irradiation are presented. Then, the different strategies that can be implemented on MOFs to adapt them for solar photocatalysis for OWS are discussed in detail. Later, the most active MOFs reported until now for the solar-driven HER and/or oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are critically commented. These studies are taken as precedents for the discussion of the existing studies on the use of MOFs as photocatalysts for the OWS under visible or sunlight irradiation. The requirements to be met to use MOFs at large scale for the solar-driven OWS are also discussed. The last section of this review provides a summary of the current state of the field and comments on future prospects that could bring MOFs closer to commercial application.

A thiadiazolopyridine-functionalized Zr(iv)-based metal-organic framework for enhanced photocatalytic synthesis of tetrahydroquinolines under visible light

Metal–organic framework (MOF) materials provide a versatile and promising platform for constructing heterogeneous photocatalysts with applications in organic transformations. One of the methods for enhancing MOFs' performance in photocatalysis relies on the elaborate design and functionalization of organic linkers. Here we reported a photoactive thiadiazolopyridine (TDP) moiety functionalized UiO-68 isoreticular Zr(iv)-based MOF (denoted as UiO-68-TDP) that was synthesized by the de novo approach of mixed dicarboxylate struts. Under blue LED irradiation and in an open air atmosphere, MOF UiO-68-TDP exhibited a largely higher photocatalytic activity for the synthesis of tetrahydroquinolines by oxidative annulation reaction between N,N-dimethylanilines and maleimides, in comparison to the benzothiadiazole decorated analogue MOF. Besides, UiO-68-TDP can be reused at least three times without significant loss of its photocatalytic activity and its framework was well maintained after these cycles. Furthermore, the related mechanism involving reactive oxygen species was properly proposed.

A photoactive thiadiazolopyridine moiety functionalized UiO-68 isoreticular MOF exhibited an enhanced photocatalytic activity for the synthesis of tetrahydroquinolines between N,N-dimethylanilines and maleimides under visible light.

Metal–organic framework (MOF)-, covalent-organic framework (COF)-, and porous-organic polymers (POP)-catalyzed selective C–H bond activation and functionalization reactions

The review summarizes the state-of-the-art of C–H active transformations over crystalline and amorphous porous materials as new emerging heterogeneous (photo)catalysts.

Application of a novel biomimetic double-ligand zirconium-based metal organic framework in environmental restoration and energy conversion

The development of visible-light response photocatalysts with a high catalytic performance and long-term cyclic stability is of great significance in the field of energy and environmental protection. Inspired by photosynthesis, a novel three-dimensional coral zirconium-based metal organic framework (MOF) was synthesized using a double-ligand strategy. The optimal sample, Zr-TCPP-bpydc (2:1), (the ratio of tetra-(4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin to 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-dicarboxylic acid is 2:1) shows an excellent photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation, and the effects of the amount of photocatalyst, pH and concentration on the degradation rate were investigated under the optimum conditions. It has a high degradation rate of tetracycline (98.12% for tetracycline and 96.74% for ofloxacin), which is 2.11 times higher than that of single ligand Zr-bpydc (zirconium-based MOF containing only 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-dicarboxylic acid). More importantly, it also has a good H₂ evolution rate (213.68 μmol g^-1h^-1) and CO₂ reduction (35.81 μmol g^-1h^-1). In addition, the intermediate pathway of degradation, photocatalytic enhancement mechanism and cycle stability were deeply studied by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and recycling tests. The synthesis of a three-dimensional biomimetic coral zirconium-based MOF material will provide guidance for the development of new, promising, and natural ideal photocatalytic materials.

Recent Progress and Prospects in Catalytic Water Treatment

Presently, conventional technologies in water treatment are not efficient enough to completely mineralize refractory water contaminants. In this context, the implementation of catalytic processes could be an alternative. Despite the advantages provided in terms of kinetics of transformation, selectivity, and energy saving, numerous attempts have not yet led to implementation at an industrial scale. This review examines investigations at different scales for which controversies and limitations must be solved to bridge the gap between fundamentals and practical developments. Particular attention has been paid to the development of solar-driven catalytic technologies and some other emerging processes, such as microwave assisted catalysis, plasma-catalytic processes, or biocatalytic remediation, taking into account their specific advantages and the drawbacks. Challenges for which a better understanding related to the complexity of the systems and the coexistence of various solid-liquid-gas interfaces have been identified.

Silver nanomaterials: synthesis and (electro/photo) catalytic applications

In view of their unique characteristics and properties, silver nanomaterials (Ag NMs) have been used not only in the field of nanomedicine but also for diverse advanced catalytic technologies. In this comprehensive review, light is shed on general synthetic approaches encompassing chemical reduction, sonochemical, microwave, and thermal treatment among the preparative methods for the syntheses of Ag-based NMs and their catalytic applications. Additionally, some of the latest innovative approaches such as continuous flow integrated with MW and other benign approaches have been emphasized that ultimately pave the way for sustainability. Moreover, the potential applications of emerging Ag NMs, including sub nanomaterials and single atoms, in the field of liquid-phase catalysis, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis as well as a positive role of Ag NMs in catalytic reactions are meticulously summarized. The scientific interest in the synthesis and applications of Ag NMs lies in the integrated benefits of their catalytic activity, selectivity, stability, and recovery. Therefore, the rise and journey of Ag NM-based catalysts will inspire a new generation of chemists to tailor and design robust catalysts that can effectively tackle major environmental challenges and help to replace noble metals in advanced catalytic applications. This overview concludes by providing future perspectives on the research into Ag NMs in the arena of electrocatalysis and photocatalysis.

Post-synthetic modifications (PSM) on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for visible-light-initiated photocatalysis

The utilization of green and sustainable solar energy via photocatalysis is regarded as a promising strategy to tackle the ever-increasing energy shortage and environmental deterioration. In addition to traditional semiconductor-based photocatalysts, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a class of crystalline micro-mesoporous hybrid materials constructed from metal or metal nodes interconnected with multi-dentate organic linkers, are emerging as a new type of photocatalytic material. Post-synthetic modifications (PSM) on MOFs, in which chemical transformations or exchanges are made on pre-synthesized MOF materials, are found to be a powerful strategy for fabricating photoactive MOFs based on already existing MOFs. In this frontier article, different PSM strategies for the development of photoactive MOFs, including coordination on unsaturated metal sites, metalation on open coordinated sites, covalent modifications on ligands, ligand exchange, metal exchange and cavity encapsulation, have been summarized. Our views on the challenges and the direction in developing photocatalytic MOFs by PSM are also addressed. We hope that this frontier article can provide some guidance for rational designing of highly efficient MOF-based photocatalysts via PSM strategies and to stimulate more research interest to be devoted to this promising yet largely unexplored field.

Boron containing metal-organic framework for highly selective photocatalytic production of H2O2 by promoting two-electron O2 reduction

A zirconium-based metal-organic framework containing boron (UiO-66-B) is prepared, which displays efficient photocatalytic H₂O₂ production. The H₂O₂ evolution rate is about 1002 μmol g^-1 h^-1, much higher than that of most known photocatalysts. Pristine UiO-66 displays a much lower activity (314 μmol g^-1 h^-1) under the same conditions, suggesting the significant role of boron. Both theoretical calculations and the combined experimental results verify the above conclusion, and the role of boron is ascribed to the following aspects: (1) enhanced O₂ adsorption, (2) highly selective proton-coupled two-electron transfer, (3) faster carrier separation and surface charge transfer, and (4) faster generation but slower decomposition rates of H₂O₂. This work highlights key factors in the two-electron O₂ reduction reaction (ORR), presents a deeper understanding of the role of boron in enhancing H₂O₂ production, and provides a new strategy for designing photocatalysts with excellent H₂O₂ evolution efficiency.

Non-noble MNP@MOF materials: synthesis and applications in heterogeneous catalysis

Transition metals have a long history in heterogeneous catalysis. Noble or precious transition metals have been widely used in this field. The advantage of noble and precious metals is obvious in 'heterogeneous catalysis'. However, the choice of Earth abundant metals is a sustainable alternative due to their abundance and low cost. Preparing these metals in the nanoscale dimension increases their surface area which also increases the catalytic reactions of these materials. Nevertheless, metals are unstable in the nanoparticle form and tend to form aggregates which restrict their applications. Loading metal nanoparticles (MNPs) into highly porous materials is among the many alternatives for combating the unstable nature of the active species. Among porous materials, highly crystalline metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which are an assembly of metal ions/clusters with organic ligands, are the best candidate. MOFs, on their own, possess catalytic activity derived from the linkers and metal ions or clusters. The catalytic properties of both non-noble metal nanoparticles (MNPs) and MOFs can be improved by loading non-noble MNPs in MOFs yielding MNP@MOF composites with a variety of potential applications, given the synergy and based on the nature of the MNP and MOF. Here, we discussed the synthesis of MNP@MOF materials and the applications of non-noble MNP@MOF materials in heterogeneous catalysis.

Pillared Metal-Organic Framework Initiating Intermolecular Atom-Transfer Radical Addition via Visible-Light-Induced Electron Transfer Activation of Haloalkanes

Herein, a novel metal-organic framework (MOF) with a pillared-layer structure was rationally synthesized to initiate intermolecular atom-transfer radical addition (ATRA) via photoinduced electron transfer activation of haloalkanes. The MOF synthesized via the controllable pillared-layer method is of excellent visible-light absorption and high chemical stability. Photocatalytic experiments show the atom transfer of various alkyl halides (R-X, X = Cl/Br/I) onto diverse olefins was successfully achieved to produce functional ATRA products. The mechanism and experimental investigations reveal the prepared MOF serves as an efficient photocatalyst with strong reduction potential to activate haloalkane substrates via photoinduced electron transfer, generating a highly reactive alkyl radical to trigger the ATRA reaction. Key events in the ATRA reaction, including alkyl radical photogeneration as well as halide transfer, have been further regulated to achieve preferable photocatalytic performance with higher yields, shorter reaction time, and desirable cycling capability. It is notable that the work is the first report on photoinduced electron transfer activation of halides by a MOF photocatalyst for the ATRA reaction, providing a new blueprint for MOFs to develop photoinduced radical reactions.

Encapsulating Copper Nanocrystals into Metal-Organic Frameworks for Cascade Reactions by Photothermal Catalysis

Composite materials with multifunctional properties usually possess synergetic effects in catalysis toward cascade reactions. In this work, a facile strategy to the encapsulation of octahedral Cu₂ O nanocrystals (NCs) by metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is reported, and an oriented growth of MOF enclosures (namely, HKUST-1) around Cu₂ O NCs with desired feedstock ratio is achieved. The strategy defines the parameter range that precisely controls the etching rate of metal oxide and the MOF crystallization rate. Finally, the Cu@HKUST-1 composites with uniform morphology and controlled MOF thickness have been successfully fabricated after the reduction of Cu₂ O to Cu NCs in HKUST-1. The integration of Cu NCs properties with MOF advantages helps to create a multifunctional catalyst, which exhibits cooperative catalytic activity and improved recyclability toward the one-pot cascade reactions under mild conditions involving visible-light irradiation. The superior performance can be attributed to the plasmonic photothermal effect of Cu NCs, while HKUST-1 shell provides Lewis acid sites, substrates and H₂ enrichment, and stabilizes the Cu cores.

Do Gas Nanobubbles Enhance Aqueous Photocatalysis? Experiment and Analysis of Mechanism

The performance of photocatalytic advanced oxidation must be improved in order for the technology to make the jump from academic research to widespread use. Research is needed on the factors that cause photocatalysis to become self-limiting. In this study, we introduced, for the first time, nanobubbles continuously into a running photocatalytic reactor. Synthetic air, O2, and N2 bubbles in the size range of 40 to 700 nm were added to a reaction system comprising P25 TiO2 photocatalyst in stirred aqueous solution excited by UV-A lamps, with methyl orange as a target contaminant. The removal of methyl orange was tested under conditions of changing pH and with the addition of different radical scavengers. Results indicated that the oxygen and air nanobubbles improved the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange—the removal efficiency of methyl orange increased from 58.2 ± 3.5% (N2 aeration) to 71.9 ± 0.6% (O2 aeration). Dissolved oxygen (DO) of 14.93 ± 0.13 mg/L was achieved using O2 nanobubbles in comparison to 8.43 ± 0.34 mg/L without aeration. The photodegradation of methyl orange decreased from 70.8 ± 0.4% to 53.9 ± 0.5% as pH increased from 2 to 10. Experiments using the scavengers showed that O2− was the main reactive species in photocatalytic degradation under highly dissolved oxygen conditions, which also accounted for the observation that the removal efficiency for methyl orange decreased at higher pH. However, without photocatalyst, nanobubbles alone did not improve the removal of methyl orange, and nanobubbles also did not increase the degradation of methyl orange by only photolysis. These experiments show that oxygen and air nanobubbles can act as environmentally friendly catalysts for boosting the performance of photocatalytic water treatment systems.

Photophysical Properties and Redox Potentials of Photosensitizers for Organic Photoredox Transformations

Photoredox catalysis has proven to be a powerful tool in synthetic organic chemistry. The rational design of photosensitizers with improved photocatalytic performance constitutes a major advancement in photoredox organic transformations. This review summarizes the fundamental ground-state and excited-state photophysical and electrochemical attributes of molecular photosensitizers, which are important determinants of their photocatalytic reactivity.

Thiol-initiated photocatalytic oxidative cleavage of the CC bond in olefins and its extension to direct production of acetals from olefins

Oxidative cleavage of a broad scope of olefins is realized over ZnIn₂S₄ under visible light, using air as oxidant and thiol as initiator. Coupled with the condensation between aldehydes/ketones and alcohols, this strategy can be used to yield acetals directly from olefins.

Visible light-promoted synthesis of pyrrolidinone derivatives via Rose Bengal as a photoredox catalyst and their photophysical studies

This protocol demonstrates the eco-friendly and sustainable synthesis of pyrrolidinone derivatives using a photocatalyst under irradiation from blue LEDs and their photophysical studies.

Emerging Concepts in Carbon Nitride Organic Photocatalysis

Carbon nitrides encompass a class of transition-metal-free materials possessing numerous advantages such as low cost (few Euros per gram), high chemical stability, broad tunability of redox potentials and optical bandgap, recyclability, and a high absorption coefficient (>10⁵  cm^-1 ), which make them highly attractive for application in photoredox catalysis. In this Review, we classify carbon nitrides based on their unique properties, structure, and redox potentials. We summarize recently emerging concepts in heterogeneous carbon nitride photocatalysis, with an emphasis on the synthesis of organic compounds: 1) Illumination-Driven Electron Accumulation in Semiconductors and Exploitation (IDEASE); 2) singlet-triplet intersystem crossing in carbon nitride excited states and related energy transfer; 3) architectures of flow photoreactors; and 4) dual metal/carbon nitride photocatalysis. The objective of this Review is to provide a detailed overview regarding innovative research in carbon nitride photocatalysis focusing on these topics.

Noble-metal-free cobaloxime coupled with metal-organic frameworks NH2-MIL-125: A novel bifunctional photocatalyst for photocatalytic NO removal and H2 evolution under visible light irradiation

The novel bifunctional NH₂-MIL-125/Co(dmgH)₂ composite catalysts with several different Co(dmgH)₂ contents that can simultaneously achieve photocatalytic NO removal and hydrogen production were first prepared by a simple and convenient method. The corresponding physical and chemical properties of the composite catalysts were characterized by SEM, XRD, ESR, in situ DRIFTS, etc. The characterization results indicated that the noble-metal-free Co(dmgH)₂, which was much cheaper and more available than most noble-metals such as Pt, could be an effective co-catalyst to accelerate the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, further eventually enhancing the photocatalytic efficiency. Under visible-light irradiation for half an hour, the NO removal ratio of NH₂-MIL-125/Co(dmgH)₂ (3 wt%) increased by 22.7 % compared with the pristine NH₂-MIL-125 without Co(dmgH)₂ loading. In addition, it was found that Eosin Y dye-sensitized NH₂-MIL-125/Co(dmgH)₂ (3 wt%) was capable of promoting a hydrogen generation rate of 2195 μmol g^-1 h^-1 under visible light, which was 12.6 times greater than the original NH₂-MIL-125. This strategy was expected as an available way to fabricate noble-metal-free molecular complexes with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to enhance the photocatalytic NO removal and hydrogen production performance simultaneously.

Photostable Ag(I)-Based Metal-Organic Framework: Synthesis, Structure, and Photocatalytic Selective Oxidation Properties

For Ag(I)-based photocatalysts, the photoreduction of Ag⁺ to metallic Ag is an unignorable issue, which is the major reason for their instability. If electrically neutral excitons rather than electrons were produced over Ag(I)-based photocatalysts, the photoreduction of Ag⁺ is expected to be greatly suppressed. To check this assumption, a Ag-based metal-organic framework containing pyrene, which is in favor of exciton production, is synthesized (denoted as Ag-PTS-BPY) and the structure is solved via single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Ag-PTS-BPY is applied in the photocatalytic selective oxidation of methyl phenyl sulfide, which displays high conversion and selectivity. As expected, no metallic Ag is formed after five cycles of reaction according to the results of X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the high conversion is also maintained. The participation of excitons suppresses the involvement of electrons, which are believed to be the reason for the high stability of Ag-PTS-BPY.