Coordination Polymers as Emerging Architectures for Photocatalytic Applications

ABSTRACT In the field of photocatalysis, coordination polymers (CPs) provide a dynamic and promising platform that offers unmatched flexibility in structural design and functioning. Their ability to integrate catalytic activity, charge transport, and light‐harvesting inside a structure they are perfect for a variety of energy and environmental applications due to their architecture. Through regulated architectures that span from 1D chains to 3D frameworks, these materials, which are composed of metal ions or metal clusters joined by organic ligands, offer exact control over their optical and catalytic capabilities. Recent advances in synthetic techniques and ligand design have enabled CPs with greater stability under photocatalytic conditions, efficient charge separation, and enhanced light absorption. These qualities make them attractive options for uses including carbon dioxide reduction, water splitting for hydrogen production, organic transformation and environmental cleanup. Additionally, CPs can be customized for certain photocatalytic reactions because to structural flexibility and the potential to incorporate functional components. The design principles, structure–property correlations, and recent advancements in catalytic performance of CPs as functional structures in photocatalysis are reviewed in this article. The difficulties and opportunities for creating highly effective CP‐based photocatalysts are also covered, with a focus on how they might help with environmental preservation and sustainable energy conversion.