Well-defined surface catalytic sites for solar CO₂reduction: heterogenized molecular catalysts and single atom catalysts

Abstract

Exciting progress has been made in the area of solar fuel generation by CO2 reduction. New photocatalytic materials containing well-defined surface catalytic sites have emerged in recent years, including heterogenized...

Solar CO2 reduction using a molecular Re(i) catalyst grafted on SiO2via amide and alkyl amine linkages

“…For instance, heterogenized molecular catalysts can be obtained by attaching molecular catalysts onto solid-state surfaces. 15–19 Such photocatalysts generally show enhanced activity and improved photostability. Many studies utilized Re(bpy)(CO) 3 Cl as a model complex to obtain heterogenized molecular catalysts on photoactive surfaces 20–23 for enhanced CO 2 reduction under solar irradiation.…”

Manipulating the Coordination Structure of Molecular Cobalt Sites in Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica for CO2 Photoreduction

“…From a catalyst design perspective, a wide range of molecular catalysts based on transition metal complexes have been developed for application in CO 2 photoreduction by coupling with molecular sensitizers or light harvesting semiconductors. − While molecular catalysts offer distinct benefits such as better atom efficiency, high product selectivity, tunability, and scope for mechanistic understanding, they often suffer from poor stability and are nonrecyclable when used under homogeneous conditions. However, these shortcomings can be mitigated via heterogenization of the molecular complexes on solid supports, − which bridges between homogeneous and heterogeneous systems and provides an opportunity to precisely regulate the structure of the active site on solid support at atomic levels. The primary coordination environment around the central metal-active site plays a crucial role in controlling the catalytic reaction.…”