Ferrocene‐Linkage‐Facilitated Charge Separation in Conjugated Microporous Polymers

Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) have full access to the organic synthesis toolbox and feature‐rich functionality, structural diversity, and high surface area. We incorporated ferrocene (Fc) into the backbones of CMPs and systematically engineered their optical energy gaps. Compared with the CMPs without Fc units yet adopting a similar molecular orbital level, Fc‐based CMPs can sufficiently generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) under visible light. The resultant ROS are able to effectively decompose the absorbed pollutants, including organic dyes and chemical warfare agents. Specifically, Fc‐based CMPs significantly outperform commercial TiO₂ (P25) in the degradation of methylene blue and are capable of converting 2‐chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (a mustard gas simulant) into a completely nontoxic product.     

Tunable Surface Area,Porosity, and Function in Conjugated Microporous Polymers

Simple inorganic salts are used to tune N‐containing conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) synthesized by Buchwald–Hartwig (BH) cross‐coupling reactions. Poly(triphenylamine), PTPA, initially shows a broad distribution of micropores, mesopores, and macropores. However, the addition of inorganic salts affects all porous network properties significantly: the pore size distribution is narrowed to the microporous range only, mimicking COFs and MOFs; the BET surface area is radically improved from 58 m² g^?1 to 1152 m² g^?1; and variations of the anion and cation sizes are used to fine‐tune the surface area of PTPA, with the surface area showing a gradual decrease with an increase in the ionic radius of salts. The effect of the salt on the physical properties of the polymer is attributed to adjusting and optimizing the Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs) of solvents for the growing polymer, and named the Beijing–Xi'an Jiaotong (BXJ) method.     

π‐Conjugated Microporous Polymer Films: Designed Synthesis,Conducting Properties,and Photoenergy Conversions

Conjugated microporous polymers are a unique class of polymers that combine extended π‐conjugation with inherent porosity. However, these polymers are synthesized through solution‐phase reactions to yield insoluble and unprocessable solids, which preclude not only the evaluation of their conducting properties but also the fabrication of thin films for device implementation. Here, we report a strategy for the synthesis of thin films of π‐conjugated microporous polymers by designing thiophene‐based electropolymerization at the solution–electrode interface. High‐quality films are prepared on a large area of various electrodes, the film thickness is controllable, and the films are used for device fabrication. These films are outstanding hole conductors and, upon incorporation of fullerenes into the pores, function as highly efficient photoactive layers for energy conversions. Our film strategy may boost the applications in photocatalysis, energy storage, and optoelectronics.     

Synthesis of C−C Bonded Two‐Dimensional Conjugated Covalent Organic Framework Films by Suzuki Polymerization on a Liquid–Liquid Interface

Synthesis of free‐standing two‐dimensional (2D) conjugated covalent organic framework (COF) films linked by C?C bonds is highly desirable. Now a very simple and mild strategy has been developed to synthesize them by Suzuki polymerization on a water–toluene interface in a refrigerator. The versatility of this strategy was confirmed by the successful synthesis of two different 2D‐COF films: a porous graphene and a porphyrin‐contained 2D‐COF. Both 2D‐COF films have large lateral size and their crystalline domains were visualized by high resolution TEM. Based on the wide compatibility of Suzuki reaction, our breakthrough work opened a door for the synthesis of various 2D conjugated COF films. For application studies, the porous graphene exhibits a good carrier mobility, which is much higher than ?C=N? linked 2D COF films and a good catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction, which is comparable with nitrogen‐ or phosphorus‐doped graphene.     

Oriented Two‐Dimensional Porous Organic Cage Crystals

The formation of two‐dimensional (2D) oriented porous organic cage crystals (consisting of imine‐based tetrahedral molecules) on various substrates (such as silicon wafers and glass) by solution‐processing is reported. Insight into the crystallinity, preferred orientation, and cage crystal growth was obtained by experimental and computational techniques. For the first time, structural defects in porous molecular materials were observed directly and the defect concentration could be correlated with crystal growth rate. These oriented crystals suggest potential for future applications, such as solution‐processable molecular crystalline 2D membranes for molecular separations.     

Heterocyclization Strategy for Construction of Linear Conjugated Polymers: Efficient Metal‐Free Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction

Exploring cost‐effective and efficient metal‐free electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial for the development of energy conversion and storage technologies. Reported here is a novel heterocyclization strategy to construct efficient ORR catalysts based on linear conjugated polymers (LCPs), which are composed of N‐, S‐, or Se‐heterocycles. Among these polymers, the covalently linked pyridine and thiophene molecule ( P‐T ) with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) exhibits a remarkable half‐wave potential of 0.79 V (vs. RHE) and excellent electrochemical stability, which are among the highest values for metal‐free polymers as ORR catalysts. Density‐functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the molecule with a phenyl unit ( P‐Ph ) is catalytically inactive, and when a thiophene unit is introduced to replace the phenyl unit in the conjugated backbone it features highly efficient electrocatalytic active sites. More importantly, the well‐defined molecular structures and controllable active sites in the pyrolysis and metal‐free polymers highlight new opportunities for the catalytic metal‐free ORR.     

Epoxy‐Functionalized Porous Organic Polymers via the Diels–Alder Cycloaddition Reaction for Atmospheric Water Capture

The synthesis of highly microporous, epoxy‐functionalized porous organic polymers (ep‐POPs) by a one‐pot, catalyst‐free Diels–Alder cycloaddition polymerization is reported. The high oxygen content of ep‐POPs offer efficient hydrogen‐bonding sites for water molecules, thus leading to high water‐uptake capacities up to 39.2–42.4 wt % under a wide temperature range of 5–45 °C, which covers the span of climatic conditions and manufacturing applications in which such materials might be used. Importantly, ep‐POPs demonstrated regeneration temperatures as low as 55 °C, as well as excellent water stability, recyclability, and high specific surface areas up to 852 m² g⁻¹.     

Eosin Y‐Functionalized Conjugated Organic Polymers for Visible‐Light‐Driven CO2 Reduction with H2O to CO with High Efficiency

Visible‐light‐driven photoreduction of CO₂ to energy‐rich chemicals in the presence of H₂O without any sacrifice reagent is of significance, but challenging. Herein, Eosin Y‐functionalized porous polymers (PEosinY‐N, N=1–3), with high surface areas up to 610 m² g^?1, are reported. They exhibit high activity for the photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to CO in the presence of gaseous H₂O, without any photosensitizer or sacrifice reagent, and under visible‐light irradiation. Especially, PEosinY‐1 derived from coupling of Eosin Y with 1,4‐diethynylbenzene shows the best performance for the CO₂ photoreduction, affording CO as the sole carbonaceous product with a production rate of 33 μmol g^?1 h^?1 and a selectivity of 92 %. This work provides new insight for designing and fabricating photocatalytically active polymers with high efficiency for solar‐energy conversion.     

Twisted Aromatic Frameworks: Readily Exfoliable and Solution‐Processable Two‐Dimensional Conjugated Microporous Polymers

Twisted two‐dimensional aromatic frameworks have been prepared by overcrowding the nodes with bulky and rigid substituents. The highly distorted aromatic framework with alternating out‐of‐plane substituents results in diminished interlayer interactions that favor the exfoliation and dispersion of individual layers in organic media.     

Mechanochemical Friedel–Crafts Alkylation—A Sustainable Pathway Towards Porous Organic Polymers

This study elucidates an innovative mechanochemical approach applying Friedel–Crafts alkylation to synthesize porous covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs). Herein, we pursue a counterintuitive approach by utilizing a rather destructive method to synthesize well‐defined materials with intrinsic porosity. Investigating a model system including carbazole as monomer and cyanuric chloride as triazine node, ball milling is shown to successfully yield porous polymers almost quantitatively. We verified the successful structure formation by an in‐depth investigation applying XPS, solid‐state NMR and FT‐IR spectroscopy. An in situ study of pressure and temperature developments inside the milling chamber in combination with two‐dimensional liquid‐state NMR spectroscopy reveals insights into the polymerization mechanism. The versatility of this mechanochemical approach is showcased by application of other monomers with different size and geometry.