Recent progresses in molecular-based artificial photosynthesis

Bio-inspired artificial photosynthesis aims to produce high-energy content chemicals from raw materials using solar energy and molecular components. Key molecular components include antenna, reaction centers, and catalysts. Recent results indicate the convenient use of: (i) suitable arrangements of several mononuclear species to obtain highly efficient catalysts for water oxidation, (ii) aromatics as components in ethylene-based bridging ligands connecting photosensitizer and catalyst subunits in supramolecular photocatalysts for CO2 reduction, so removing some limitation to suitable bridging ligand design, and (iii) photosensitizers based on earth-abundant metal complexes as photosensitizers in multicomponent schemes.

Automated summary

Bio-inspired artificial photosynthesis aims to produce high-energy content chemicals using solar energy and molecular components. Recent results show the use of suitable arrangements to obtain efficient catalysts for water oxidation, the use of aromatics as bridging ligands for CO2 reduction, and the use of earth-abundant metal complexes as photosensitizers.