Two-Dimensional Porphyrin-Based Covalent Organic Framework with Enlarged Inter-layer Spacing for Tunable Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction

Two-dimensional (2D) porphyrin-based covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are one of the most promising candidates for photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR), which however still suffer from the hindered mass transfer during the catalysis procedure associated with the close packing of 2D COF layers due to the strong axial π–π stacking. Herein, condensation between the porphyrinic aldehydes p-MPor-CHO (M = H2, Co, and Ni) and 3,8-diamino-6-phenyl-phenanthridine (DPP) affords new porphyrin-based 2D COF architecture MPor-DPP-COFs (M = H2, Co, and Ni). The bulky phenyl substituent at the phenanthridine periphery of the linking unit reduces the axial π–π stacking, providing an enlarged inter-layer spacing of 6.0 Å according to high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. This, in combination with the large surface area (1021 m2 g–1) revealed by nitrogen sorption measurements at 77 K for CoPor-DPP-COF possessing electroactive Co ions, endows it with excellent photocatalytic activity for CO2RR with a CO generation rate of 10 200 μmol g–1 h–1 and a CO selectivity up to 82%. This work affords new ideas for achieving efficient photocatalytic CO2RR upon fine-tuning the inter-layer spacing of 2D COFs.