Zhang G, Wang F, Tubul T, Baranov M, Leffler N, Neyman A, Poblet JM, Weinstock IA. Complexed Semiconductor Cores Activate Hexaniobate Ligands as Nucleophilic Sites for Solar‐Light Reduction of CO
2
by Water.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022;
61:e202213162. [PMID:
36200676 PMCID:
PMC10098893 DOI:
10.1002/anie.202213162]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Although pure and functionalized solid-state polyniobates such as layered perovskites and niobate nanosheets are photocatalysts for renewable-energy processes, analogous reactions by molecular polyoxoniobate cluster-anions are nearly absent from the literature. We now report that under simulated solar light, hexaniobate cluster-anion encapsulated 30-NiII -ion "fragments" of surface-protonated cubic-phase-like NiO cores activate the hexaniobate ligands towards CO2 reduction by water. Photoexcitation of the NiO cores promotes charge-transfer reduction of NbV to NbIV , increasing electron density at bridging oxo atoms of Nb-μ-O-Nb linkages that bind and convert CO2 to CO. Photogenerated NiO "holes" simultaneously oxidize water to dioxygen. The findings point to molecular complexation of suitable semiconductor "fragments" as a general method for utilizing electron-dense polyoxoniobate anions as nucleophilic photocatalysts for solar-light driven activation and reduction of small molecules.
Collapse