Cross-linked Polymers with Exceptionally High Ru(bipy)₃²⁺ Loadings for Efficient Heterogeneous Photocatalysis

Abstract

Phosphorescent cross-linked polymers <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> were synthesized via oxidative homocoupling reactions of tetra­(ethynyl) derivatives of Ru­(bpy)₃²⁺ (with the alkynyl groups located at 4,4′- or 5,5′- positions of two substituted bipyridines). These cross-linked polymer particles contain exceptionally high Ru­(bpy)₃²⁺ loadings and serve as highly efficient and reusable heterogeneous photocatalysts for a range of organic transformations, presumably owing to the ability of the Ru­(bpy)₃²⁺ moieties in the polymer network to transport triplet excited states to particle surfaces to initiate the organic reactions. This work illustrates the potential of developing photocatalytic cross-linked polymers from photoactive molecular building blocks for solar energy utilization