Diversifying Single‐Crystal Structures of Covalent Organic Polymers Through a Symmetry‐Broken Strategy

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Authors: Lei Zhang, Xin Wang, Xiao‐Xin Li, Xiang Wang, Zihao Chen, Jinglun Yang, Qianfeng Gu, Dong‐Sheng LI, Chun‐Sing Lee, Ya‐Qian Lan, Qichun Zhang
Cited by: 5
References: 48

Abstract

ABSTRACT Recently, growing single crystals of covalent organic polymers (COPs) through dative B←N bonds has been proven to be a promising strategy. Despite these developments, constructing diverse COP structures using identical structural motifs to investigate the variations in their performance remains a significant but challenging task. In this paper, we introduce a strategy aimed at reducing the symmetry of structural units to achieve this target. By employing the 3‐pyridyl‐based tetrathiafulvalene motif (labeled as TTF‐(3‐py) 4 ), a series of single‐crystal COP structures sharing the same motifs, including one‐dimensional (1D) zigzag chains ( CityU‐61 ), 1D nanobelt ( CityU‐62 ), and 2D layer ( CityU‐63 ) structures, are constructed under different solvent conditions. The rotatability of the carbon‐carbon single bond, coupled with the deviation of nitrogen in pyridine from the symmetry axis, endows TTF‐(3‐py) 4 with a diverse range of configurations. These COP compounds exhibit excellent light absorption properties and redox activities, facilitating efficient photocatalytic synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) from water and air. Notably, CityU‐63 exhibits the highest catalytic activity, with an H 2 O 2 production rate of 10 488.9 µmol g −1 h −1 , positioning it among the most effective photocatalysts currently employed for H 2 O 2 photosynthesis.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Covalent Organic Framework Applications Carbon dioxide utilization in catalysis Oxidative Organic Chemistry Reactions

Publication details

Journal / source
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
65
Issue
20
Pages
e6579208–e6579208
Publication date
8 April 2026
Language
EN