Design of Single-Site Photocatalysts by Using Metal-Organic Frameworks as a Matrix

Single-site photocatalysts generally display excellent photocatalytic activity and considerably high stability compared with homogeneous catalytic systems. A rational structural design of single-site photocatalysts with isolated, uniform, and spatially separated active sites in a given solid is of prime importance to achieve high photocatalytic activity. Intense attention has been focused on the design and fabrication of single-site photocatalysts by using porous materials as a platform. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have great potential in the design and fabrication of single-site photocatalysts due to their remarkable porosity, ultrahigh surface area, extraordinary tailorability, and significant diversity. MOFs can provide an abundant number of binding sites to anchor active sites, which results in a significant enhancement in photocatalytic performance. In this focus review, the development of single-site MOF photocatalysts that perform important and challenging chemical redox reactions, such as photocatalytic H-2 production, photocatalytic CO2 conversion, and organic transformations, is summarized thoroughly. Successful strategies for the construction of single-site MOF photocatalysts are summarized and major challenges in their practical applications are noted.