Water-Soluble Polymeric Carbon Nitride Colloidal Nanoparticles for Highly Selective Quasi-Homogeneous Photocatalysis

authors	Krivtsov, I; Mitoraj, D; Adler, C; Ilkaeva, M; Sardo, M; Mafra, L; Neumann, C; Turchanin, A; Li, CY; Dietzek, B; Leiter, R; Biskupek, J; Kaiser, U; Im, C; Kirchhoff, B; Jacob, T; Beranek, R
nationality	International
journal	ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
author keywords	carbon nitride; chemoselectivity; nanoparticles; photocatalysis; quasi-homogeneous catalysis
keywords	POLY(HEPTAZINE IMIDES); HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE; CYAMELURIC ACID; QUANTUM YIELD; OXIDATION; NANOSHEETS; DOTS; PHOTOOXIDATION; DISSOLUTION; ACTIVATION
abstract	Heptazine-based polymeric carbon nitrides (PCN) are promising photocatalysts for light-driven redox transformations. However, their activity is hampered by low surface area resulting in low concentration of accessible active sites. Herein, we report a bottom-up preparation of PCN nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution (ca. 10 +/- 3 nm), which are fully soluble in water showing no gelation or precipitation over several months. They allow photocatalysis to be carried out under quasi-homogeneous conditions. The superior performance of water-soluble PCN, compared to conventional solid PCN, is shown in photocatalytic H2O2 production via reduction of oxygen accompanied by highly selective photooxidation of 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol and benzyl alcohol or lignocellulose-derived feedstock (ethanol, glycerol, glucose). The dissolved photocatalyst can be easily recovered and re-dissolved by simple modulation of the ionic strength of the medium, without any loss of activity and selectivity.
publisher	WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH
issn	1433-7851
isbn	1521-3773
year published	2020
volume	59
issue	1
beginning page	487
ending page	495
digital object identifier (doi)	10.1002/anie.201913331
web of science category	Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
subject category	Chemistry
unique article identifier	WOS:000498429200001