Now, writing in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Gang Wu, Hong Xia, Xiaoming Liu and co-workers report the synthesis of two three-component donor−π−acceptor (TCDA)-COFs and their application in the photocatalytic production of hydrogen from water. The highly crystalline TCDA-COFs share two common components; an electron-rich benzotrithiophene donor, benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b′:5,6-b″]trithiophene-2,5,8-tricarbaldehyde (BTT), and an electron-poor triazine acceptor, 1,3,5-tris-(4-formyl-phenyl)triazine (TFPT), but differ with respect to the linker used, 1,4-phenyldiacetonitrile or 1,4-phenylenediamine (PDA). These linkers allow the two TCDA-COFs, COF-JLU35 and COF-JLU36, to be synthesized through Knoevenagel and Schiff-base condensation reactions, respectively.
Solid-state analysis of the two TCDA-COFs allowed Wu, Xia, Liu and co-workers to elucidate the structures of COF-JLU35 and COF-JLU36. COF-JLU35, a framework linked by sp2-carbons, was found to be a mesoporous material with an ordered network with honeycomb-like pores and a regular stick morphology. Whereas COF-JLU36, a framework linked by imine units, was found to be a mesoporous material with an irregular rod-like aggregation morphology, hydrolysis of which led to the reformation of the three components, BTT, TFPT and PDA.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution