Indexed by:
Abstract:
Despite the unique advantages of non-planar conjugated molecules in promoting charge separation through their twisted conformations and weakened intermolecular interactions, a systematic understanding of their structure-performance relationships in photocatalysis remains lacking. This work proposed an intramolecular torsional angle regulation strategy to establish non-planar conjugate stacking architectures for optimized interlayer charge separation in supramolecular organic catalysts. A series of ullazine-pyridine supramolecular semiconductors (o-U-Py, m-U-Py, p-U-Py) were designed to achieve favorable packing arrangements that facilitate the liberation of electrons from Coulombic confinement through the precise regulation of nitrogen atom positions (ortho, meta, para) on the pyridine moiety. The meta-substituted m-U-Py derivative, which exhibits the most pronounced torsion angle of 38.5°, demonstrates optimal interlayer conjugation projection efficiency and features a nearest N-N active site distance of 4.7 Å. These synergistic features promoted photogenerated charge separation through intermolecular built-in electric fields, culminating in the lowest recorded exciton binding energy of 81.8 meV and ultrafast charge separation kinetics with τCS ≈ 0.43 ps. The superior charge separation efficiency empowered m-U-Py to demonstrate exceptional photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance under visible light irradiation, achieving an exceptional production rate of 1807.8 μmol·g−1·h−1, representing 5-fold and 2.5-fold enhancements over o-U-Py and p-U-Py respectively, accompanied by an apparent quantum yield of 1.39 % at 420 nm. This work provides a novel molecular design strategy for developing efficient non-planar conjugated photocatalysts. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.
Keyword:
Reprint 's Address:
Email:
Source :
Applied Catalysis B: Environmental
ISSN: 0926-3373
Year: 2026
Volume: 380
2 0 . 3 0 0
JCR@2023
Cited Count:
SCOPUS Cited Count:
ESI Highly Cited Papers on the List: 0 Unfold All
WanFang Cited Count:
Chinese Cited Count:
30 Days PV: 4
Affiliated Colleges: