Fabrication of electrospun fibers from a porphyrin linked to polyacrylonitrile polymer for photocatalytic transformation of phenols

A novel mono-porphyrin (2) was employed for the photodegradation of 4-chlorophenol and 4-n-nonylphenol at pH 10.60. A partially modified polyacrylonitrile (PAN) polymer was utilized only as a support system for the photosensitiser to allow the formation of a covalent linkage. Complex 2 showed singlet oxygen values of 0.70 in dimethyl formamide and when conjugated (2-PAN) showed 0.39 in water. When employed against 4-chlorophenol a degradation efficiency (η) of 29.1% was achieved at 0.20 mol L−1 over a period of 10 min. When employed against 4-n-nonylphenol we obtained a η of 26.7% at 0.17 mol L−1 over a period of 10 min. •A Zn porphyrin (2) was linked to polyacrylonitrile (PAN) polymer to form 2-PAN.•2-PAN was employed for the photodegradation of 4-chlorophenol and 4-n-nonylphenol.•A degradation efficiency ranged between 26.7% and 29.1%.