Soluble Porous Coordination Frameworks Constructed from Inorganic Nanoparticles as Homogenized Heterogeneous Photocatalysts for Suzuki Coupling Reactions under Near-Infrared Light

Self-assembly has emerged as a promising method to control the structure and properties of ensembles of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) for exploiting their collective effects. However, the rational assembly of inorganic NPs into soluble porous architectures for use as homogenized heterogeneous catalysts has been less studied. Herein, it is shown that inorganic NPs can be used for the assembly of soluble porous coordination frameworks (PCFs) by atomscale interfacial coordination-driven assembly. Owing to their large pore size, high dispersity in solution, strong absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) range, and long-lived electron-hole pair, the obtained soluble frameworks could serve as a platform for homogenized heterogeneous photocatalysts, which exhibited excellent activity, high apparent quantum efficiency, and recyclability in the catalysis of the noble-metal-free Suzuki coupling reactions under NIR light at room temperature. Moreover, PCF catalysts can be reused more than five times without significant loss of activity, which indicates long-term stability. The present strategy to fabricate soluble porous nanostructures opens a new chemical toolbox for homogenized heterogeneous catalysts and may bring new inspiration to photocatalysis.