Rectangular-Shaped Expanded Phthalocyanines with Two Central Metal Atoms

Breaking the scaling relations of effective CO2 electrochemical reduction in diatomic catalysts by adjusting the flow direction of intermediate structures

The electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) is a promising approach to achieving a sustainable carbon cycle. Recently, diatomic catalysts (DACs) have demonstrated advantages in the CO2RR due to their complex and flexible active sites. However, our understanding of how DACs break the scaling relationship remains insufficient. Here, we investigate the CO2RR of 465 kinds of graphene-based DACs (M1M2-N6@Gra) formed from 30 metal atoms through high-throughput density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We find that the intermediates *COOH, *CO, and *CHO have multiple adsorption states, with 11 structural flow directions from *CO to *CHO. Four of these structural flow directions have catalysts that can break the linear scale relationship. Based on the adsorption energy relationship between *COOH, *CHO and *CO, we propose the concepts of linear scaling, moderate breaking, and severe deviation regions, leading to the establishment of new descriptors that identify 14 catalysts with potential superior performance. Among them, ZnRu-N6@Gra and CrNi-N6@Gra can reduce CO2 to CH4 at a low limiting potential. We also discovered that DACs have independent bidirectional electron transfer channels during the adsorption and activation of CO2, which can significantly improve the flexibility and efficiency of regulating the electronic structure. Furthermore, through machine learning (ML) analysis, we identify electronegativity, atomic number, and d electron count as key determinants of catalyst stability. This work provides new insights into the understanding of the DAC catalytic mechanism, as well as the design and screening of catalysts.

Proposals for gas-detection improvement of the FeMPc monolayer towards ethylene and formaldehyde by using bimetallic synergy

Development and fabrication of a novel gas sensor with superb performance are crucial for enabling real-time monitoring of ethylene (C2H4) and formaldehyde (H2CO) emissions from industrial manufacture. Herein, first-principles calculations and AIMD simulations were carried out to investigate the effect of the Fe-M dimer on the adsorption of C2H4 and H2CO on metal dimer phthalocyanine (FeMPc, M = Ti-Zn) monolayers, and the electronic structures and sensing properties of the above adsorption systems were systematically discussed. The results show that the FeMPc (M = Ti, V, Cr, Mn) monolayers interact with C2H4 and H2CO by chemisorption except for the FeMnPc/H2CO system, while the other adsorption systems are all characterized by physisorption. Interestingly, the adsorption strength of C2H4 and H2CO can be effectively regulated by the bimetallic synergy of the Fe-M dimer. Moreover, the FeCrPc and FeMnPc monolayers exhibit excellent sensitivity towards C2H4 and H2CO, and have short recovery time (4.69 ms-2.31 s) for these gases at room temperature due to the effective surface diffusion at 300 K. Consequently, the FeCrPc and FeMnPc materials can be utilized as high-performance, reusable gas sensors for detecting C2H4 and H2CO, and have promising applications in monitoring the release of ethylene and formaldehyde from industrial processes.

Understanding the CH4 Conversion over Metal Dimers from First Principles

Inspired by the advantages of bi-atom catalysts and recent exciting progresses of nanozymes, by means of density functional theory (DFT) computations, we explored the potential of metal dimers embedded in phthalocyanine monolayers (M₂-Pc), which mimics the binuclear centers of methane monooxygenase, as catalysts for methane conversion using H₂O₂ as an oxidant. In total, 26 transition metal (from group IB to VIIIB) and four main group metal (M = Al, Ga, Sn and Bi) dimers were considered, and two methane conversion routes, namely *O-assisted and *OH-assisted mechanisms were systematically studied. The results show that methane conversion proceeds via an *OH-assisted mechanism on the Ti₂-Pc, Zr₂-Pc and Ta₂-Pc, a combination of *O- and *OH-assisted mechanism on the surface of Sc₂-Pc, respectively. Our theoretical work may provide impetus to developing new catalysts for methane conversion and help stimulate further studies on metal dimer catalysts for other catalytic reactions.

Recent advances in electrocatalysis with phthalocyanines

Applications of phthalocyanines (Pcs) in electrocatalysis-including the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR), the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)-have attracted considerable attention recently. Pcs and their derivatives are more attractive than many other macrocycles as electrocatalysts since, although they are structurally related to natural porphyrin complexes, they offer the advantages of low cost, facile synthesis and good chemical stability. Moreover, their high tailorability and structural diversity mean Pcs have great potential for application in electrochemical devices. Here we review the structure and composition of Pcs, methods of synthesis of Pcs and their analogues, as well as applications of Pc-based heterogeneous electrocatalysts. Optimization strategies for Pc-based materials for electrocatalysis of ORR, CO₂RR, OER and HER are proposed, based on the mechanisms of the different electrochemical reactions. We also discuss the structure/composition-catalytic activity relationships for different Pc materials and Pc-based electrocatalysts in order to identify future practical applications. Finally, future opportunities and challenges in the use of molecular Pcs and Pc derivatives as electrocatalysts are discussed.

Template-controlled on-surface synthesis of a lanthanide supernaphthalocyanine and its open-chain polycyanine counterpart

Phthalocyanines possess unique optical and electronic properties and thus are widely used in (opto)electronic devices, coatings, photodynamic therapy, etc. Extension of their π-electron systems could produce molecular materials with red-shifted absorption for a broader range of applications. However, access to expanded phthalocyanine analogues with more than four isoindoline units is challenging due to the limited synthetic possibilities. Here, we report the controlled on-surface synthesis of a gadolinium-supernaphthalocyanine macrocycle and its open-chain counterpart poly(benzodiiminoisoindoline) on a silver surface from a naphthalene dicarbonitrile precursor. Their formation is controlled by the on-surface high-dilution principle and steered by different metal templates, i.e., gadolinium atoms and the bare silver surface, which also act as oligomerization catalysts. By using scanning tunneling microscopy, photoemission spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations, the chemical structures along with the mechanical and electronic properties of these phthalocyanine analogues with extended π-conjugation are investigated in detail.

Extending the π‐conjugation of phthalocyanine dyes, while synthetically challenging, has the potential to produce desirable new molecular materials. Here, the authors use a templated on‐surface approach to synthesize several extended phthalocyanine derivatives from the same building block, including a lanthanide superphthalocyanine and an open‐chain polycyanine.

5,20-Diheterohexaphyrins: metal-template-free synthesis and aromaticity switching

As the first example of expanded heteroporphyrins with heteroatoms at meso-positions, 5,20-dithiahexaphyrins and 5,20-diazahexaphyrins were synthesized via nucleophilic substitution reactions of α,α'-dibromotripyrrin as the key step. While 5,20-dithiahexaphyrins are practically nonaromatic, 5,20-[28]diazahexaphyrins show weakly antiaromatic characters and can be cleanly converted into aromatic 5,20-[26]diazahexaphyrins upon oxidation with PbO2, demonstrating distinct aromaticity switching with maintenance of dumbbell-like conformations.

Synthesis, Regioselective Bromination, and Functionalization of Coronene Tetracarboxydiimide

A new method for the effective synthesis of coronene tetracarboxydiimide (CDI) was developed by utilizing inexpensive and nontoxic potassium vinyltrifluoroborate. Controllable brominations of CDI were accomplished to yield CDI mono-, di-, tri-, and tetra-bromides, which could be used as synthon and functionalized by aromatic nucleophilic substitution and the Sonogashira coupling reaction.

Cu dimer anchored on C2N monolayer: low-cost and efficient Bi-atom catalyst for CO oxidation

By means of density functional theory (DFT) computations, we systemically investigated CO/O2 adsorption and CO oxidation pathways on a bi-atom catalyst, namely, a copper dimer anchored on a C2N monolayer (Cu2@C2N), and we compared it with its monometallic counterpart Cu1@C2N. The Cu dimer could be stably embedded into the porous C2N monolayer. The reactions between the adsorbed O2 and CO via both bi-molecular and tri-molecular Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) and Eley-Rideal (E-R) mechanisms were comparably studied, and we found that the bi-atom catalyst Cu2@C2N possessed superior performance toward CO oxidation as compared to the single-atom catalyst Cu1@C2N. Our comparative study suggested that the newly predicted bi-atom catalyst, i.e., a copper dimer anchored on a suitable support is highly active for CO oxidation, which can provide a useful guideline for further developing highly effective and low-cost green nanocatalysts.

Synthesis of meso-substituted subphthalocyanine-subporphyrin hybrids: boron subtribenzodiazaporphyrins

The first syntheses of hybrid structures that lie between subphthalocyanines and subporphyrins are reported. The versatile single-step synthetic method uses a preformed aminoisoindolene to provide the bridging methine unit and its substituent while trialkoxyborates simultaneously act as Lewis acid, template, and provider of the apical substituent. The selection of each component therefore allows for the controlled formation of diverse, differentially functionalized systems. The new hybrids are isolated as robust, pure materials that display intense absorption and emission in the mid-visible region. The new compounds are further characterized in solution and solid state by variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, respectively.

The effect of peripheral substituents attached to phthalocyanines on the third order nonlinear optical properties of graphene oxide–zinc(ii)phthalocyanine hybrids

Both kinds of GO–ZnPc hybrid materials exhibit transformation of the NLO response from SA to RSA, and the β value of GO–ZnPc(DG)₄ is larger than that of GO–ZnPc(TD)₄ because of the stronger electron-donating peripheral substituents.

Design, synthesis, and properties of phthalocyanine complexes with main-group elements showing main absorption and fluorescence beyond 1000 nm

We present a comprehensive description of the unique properties of newly developed phthalocyanines (Pcs) containing main-group elements that absorb and emit in the near-IR region. Group 16 (S, Se, and Te) elements and group 15 (P, As, and Sb) elements were used as peripheral and central (core) substituents. With the introduction of group 16 elements into free-base Pc, a red-shift of the Q-band was observed, as a result of the electron-donating ability of group 16 elements particularly at the α positions. An X-ray crystallographic analysis of α-ArS-, ArSe-, and ArTe-linked free-base Pcs was also successfully performed, and the relationship between structure and optical properties was clarified. When a group 15 element ion was introduced into the center of the Pc ring, the resulting Pcs showed a single Q-band peak beyond 1000 nm (up to 1056 nm in CH2Cl2). In particular, [(ArS)8PcP(OMe)2](+) and [(ArS)8PcAs(OMe)2](+) exhibited a distinct fluorescence in the 960-1400 nm region with moderate quantum yields. The atomic radius of the group 15 element is important for determining the Pc structure, so that this can be controlled by the choice of group 15 elements. Electrochemical data revealed, while MO calculations suggested, that the red-shift of the Q-band is attributable to a decrease of the HOMO-LUMO gap due to significant and moderate stabilization of the LUMO and HOMO, respectively. The effect of peripheral substutuents and a central P(V) ion on the Q-band shift was independently predicted by MO calculations, while the magnitude of the total calculated shift was in good agreement with the experimental observations. The combination of spectral, electrochemical, and theoretical considerations revealed that all of the central group 15 elements, peripheral group 16 elements, and their positions are necessary to shift the Q-band beyond 1000 nm, indicating that the substitution effects of group 15 and 16 elements act synergistically. The Pcs having Q-bands beyond 1000 nm in this study also had stability under aerobic conditions comparative to that of CuPc, which is presently being widely used in consumer products.