Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks for photocatalytic synthesis of hydrogen peroxide

Photocatalysis provides a sustainable and environment-friendly strategy to produce H₂O₂, yet the catalytic efficiency of H₂O₂ overall photosynthesis (O₂ + 2H₂O → 2H₂O₂) needs to be further improved, especially in the absence of additional cocatalysts, photosensitizers and sacrificial agents. Here we find that hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks can serve as photocatalysts for H₂O₂ overall photosynthesis under the above-mentioned conditions. Specifically, we constructed a donor-acceptor hydrogen-bonded organic framework that exhibits a high photocatalytic activity for H₂O₂ overall photosynthesis, with a production rate of 681.2 μmol g^-1 h^-1. The control experiments and theoretical calculation revealed that the hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks with donor-acceptor structures can not only accelerate the charge separation and transfer but also optimize the reaction pathways, which significantly boosts the photocatalytic efficiency in H₂O₂ overall photosynthesis. This work provides insights into the design and development of efficient photocatalysts for overall H₂O₂ photosynthesis.