Ferrocene-Functionalized Crystalline Biomimetic Catalysts for Efficient CO₂ Photoreduction

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Catalysis
• Environmental Chemistry

Background:

• Photoreducing carbon dioxide (CO2) offers a pathway to mitigate atmospheric CO2 levels and achieve carbon neutrality.
• Adenine, with its photosensitive amino group and aromatic nitrogen, exhibits catalytic activity in CO2 photoreduction reactions (CO2RR).

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize novel adenine-constructed crystalline biomimetic photocatalysts for efficient CO2RR.
• To investigate the role of functional groups in enhancing photocatalytic activity for CO2 conversion.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of two adenine-based crystalline photocatalysts: Co2-AW and Co2-AF.
• Evaluation of photocatalytic activity for CO2 to formic acid (HCOOH) conversion under photoreduction conditions.
• Analysis of charge transfer properties to elucidate the mechanism of enhanced performance.

Main Results:

• Co2-AF demonstrated significantly higher photocatalytic activity (225.8 μmol g-1 h-1) for CO2-to-HCOOH conversion compared to Co2-AW.
• The enhanced performance of Co2-AF was attributed to the superior charge transfer capacity imparted by the ferrocene group.
• The ferrocene group was identified as an effective electron donor and mediator in crystalline coordination catalysts.

Conclusions:

• Adenine-constructed crystalline biomimetic photocatalysts are effective for CO2 photoreduction.
• The incorporation of a ferrocene group substantially improves photocatalytic activity by facilitating charge transfer.
• Ferrocene holds great potential as a component in advanced crystalline coordination catalysts for CO2 utilization.