Reticular-Chemistry-Inspired Supramolecule Design as a Tool to Achieve Efficient Photocatalysts for CO2 Reduction

Photocatalytic CO₂ reduction into C1 products is one of the most trending research subjects of current times as sustainable energy generation is the utmost need of the hour. In this review, we have tried to comprehensively summarize the potential of supramolecule-based photocatalysts for CO₂ reduction into C1 compounds. At the outset, we have thrown light on the inert nature of gaseous CO₂ and the various challenges researchers are facing in its reduction. The evolution of photocatalysts used for CO₂ reduction, from heterogeneous catalysis to supramolecule-based molecular catalysis, and subsequent semiconductor-supramolecule hybrid catalysis has been thoroughly discussed. Since CO₂ is thermodynamically a very stable molecule, a huge reduction potential is required to undergo its one- or multielectron reduction. For this reason, various supramolecule photocatalysts were designed involving a photosensitizer unit and a catalyst unit connected by a linker. Later on, solid semiconductor support was also introduced in this supramolecule system to achieve enhanced durability, structural compactness, enhanced charge mobility, and extra overpotential for CO₂ reduction. Reticular chemistry is seen to play a pivotal role as it allows bringing all of the positive features together from various components of this hybrid semiconductor-supramolecule photocatalyst system. Thus, here in this review, we have discussed the selection and role of various components, viz. the photosensitizer component, the catalyst component, the linker, the semiconductor support, the anchoring ligands, and the peripheral ligands for the design of highly performing CO₂ reduction photocatalysts. The selection and role of various sacrificial electron donors have also been highlighted. This review is aimed to help researchers reach an understanding that may translate into the development of excellent CO₂ reduction photocatalysts that are operational under visible light and possess superior activity, efficiency, and selectivity.

Photocatalytic CO2 Reductions Catalyzed by meso-(1,10-Phenanthrolin-2-yl)-Porphyrins Having a Rhenium(I) Tricarbonyl Complex

We have prepared Zn and free-base porphyrins appended with a fac-Re(phen)(CO)3 Br (where phen is 1,10-phenanthroline) at the meso position of the porphyrin, and performed photocatalytic CO2 reduction using porphyrin-Re dyads in the presence of either triethylamine (TEA) or 1,3-dimethyl-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole (BIH) as an electron donor. The Zn porphyrin dyad showed a high turnover number for CO production compared with the free-base porphyrin dyad, suggesting that the central Zn ion of porphyrin plays an important role in suppressing electron accumulation on the porphyrin part and achieving high durability of the photocatalytic CO2 reduction using both TEA and BIH. The effect of acids on the CO2 reduction was investigated using the Zn porphyrin-Re dyad and BIH. Acetic acid, a relatively strong Brønsted acid, rapidly causes the porphyrin's color to fade upon irradiation and dramatically decreases CO production, whereas proper weak Brønsted acids such as 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol and phenol enhance the CO2 reduction.

Kinetics and Mechanism of Intramolecular Electron Transfer in Ru(II)-Re(I) Supramolecular CO2-Reduction Photocatalysts: Effects of Bridging Ligands

The supramolecular photocatalysts in which a Ru(II) complex as a molecular redox photosensitizer unit and a Re(I) complex as a molecular catalyst unit are connected with a various alkyl or ether chain have attracted attention because they can efficiently photocatalyze CO₂ reduction with high durability and high selectivity of CO formation, especially on various solid materials such as semiconductor electrodes and mesoporous organosilica. The intramolecular electron transfer from the one-electron reduced photosensitizer unit to the catalyst unit, which follows excitation of the photosensitizer unit and subsequent reductive quenching of the excited photosensitizer unit by a reductant, is one of the most important processes in the photocatalytic reduction of CO₂. We succeeded in determining the rate constants of this intramolecular electron transfer process by using subnanosecond time-resolved IR spectroscopy. The logarithm of rate constants shows a linear relationship with the lengths of the bridging chain in the supramolecular photocatalysts with one bridging alkyl or ether chain. In conformity with the exponential decay of the wave function and the coupling element in the long-distance electron transfer, the apparent decay coefficient factor (β) in the supramolecular photocatalysts with one bridging chain was determined to be 0.74 Å^-1. In the supramolecular photocatalyst with two ethylene chains connecting between the photosensitizer and catalyst units, on the other hand, the intramolecular electron transfer rate is much faster than that with only one ethylene chain. These results strongly indicate that the intramolecular electron transfer from the one-electron reduced species of the Ru photosensitizer unit to the Re catalyst unit proceeds by the through-bond mechanism.

Enhancement of Light Absorption Ability of Synthetic Chlorophyll Derivatives by Conjugation with a Difluoroboron Diketonate Group

The enhancement of the light absorption ability of synthetic chlorophyll derivatives is demonstrated. Chlorophyll derivatives directly conjugated with a difluoroboron 1,3-diketonate group at the C3 position were synthesized from methyl pyropheophorbide-d through Barbier acylmethylation of the C3-formyl moiety, oxidation of the C3-carbinol, and difluoroboron complexation of the diketonate. Electronic absorption spectra in a diluted solution showed that the synthetic conjugates gave an absorption band at λ=400-500 nm, with a Qy band shifted to a longer wavelength of λ≈700 nm. DFT calculations demonstrated that the absorption bands and redshifts were ascribable to the coupling of the LUMO of chlorin with that of the difluoroboron diketonate moiety. The introduction of a pyrenyl group at the C3(3) -position of the conjugate afforded an additional charge-transfer band over λ=500 nm, producing a pigment that bridged the green gap in standard chlorophylls.

Comparison of rhenium-porphyrin dyads for CO2 photoreduction: photocatalytic studies and charge separation dynamics studied by time-resolved IR spectroscopy

We report a study of the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO by zinc porphyrins covalently linked to [ReI(2,2'-bipyridine)(CO)3L]+/0 moieties with visible light of wavelength >520 nm. Dyad 1 contains an amide C6H4NHC(O) link from porphyrin to bipyridine (Bpy), Dyad 2 contains an additional methoxybenzamide within the bridge C6H4NHC(O)C6H3(OMe)NHC(O), while Dyad 3 has a saturated bridge C6H4NHC(O)CH2; each dyad is studied with either L = Br or 3-picoline. The syntheses, spectroscopic characterisation and cyclic voltammetry of Dyad 3 Br and [Dyad 3 pic]OTf are described. The photocatalytic performance of [Dyad 3 pic]OTf in DMF/triethanolamine (5 : 1) is approximately an order of magnitude better than [Dyad 1 pic]PF6 or [Dyad 2 pic]OTf in turnover frequency and turnover number, reaching a turnover number of 360. The performance of the dyads with Re-Br units is very similar to that of the dyads with [Re-pic]+ units in spite of the adverse free energy of electron transfer. The dyads undergo reactions during photocatalysis: hydrogenation of the porphyrin to form chlorin and isobacteriochlorin units is detected by visible absorption spectroscopy, while IR spectroscopy reveals replacement of the axial ligand by a triethanolaminato group and insertion of CO2 into the latter to form a carbonate. Time-resolved IR spectra of [Dyad 2 pic]OTf and [Dyad 3 pic]OTf (560 nm excitation in CH2Cl2) demonstrated electron transfer from porphyrin to Re(Bpy) units resulting in a shift of ν(CO) bands to low wavenumbers. The rise time of the charge-separated species for [Dyad 3 pic]OTf is longest at 8 (±1) ps and its lifetime is also the longest at 320 (±15) ps. The TRIR spectra of Dyad 1 Br and Dyad 2 Br are quite different showing a mixture of 3MLCT, IL and charge-separated excited states. In the case of Dyad 3 Br, the charge-separated state is absent altogether. The TRIR spectra emphasize the very different excited states of the bromide complexes and the picoline complexes. Thus, the similarity of the photocatalytic data for bromide and picoline dyads suggests that they share common intermediates. Most likely, these involve hydrogenation of the porphyrin and substitution of the axial ligand at rhenium.