Extended Conjugation Tuning Carbon Nitride for Non-sacrificial H2 O2 Photosynthesis and Hypoxic Tumor Therapy

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2022 Oct 24;61(43):e202210856. doi: 10.1002/anie.202210856. Epub 2022 Sep 27.

Abstract

Artificial photocatalysis offers a clean approach for producing H2 O2 . However, the poor selectivity and activity of H2 O2 production hamper traditional industrial applications and emerging photodynamic therapy (PDT)/chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Herein, we report a C5 N2 photocatalyst with a conjugated C=N linkage for selective and efficient non-sacrificial H2 O2 production in both normoxic and hypoxic systems. The strengthened delocalization of π-electrons by linkers in C5 N2 downshifted the band position, thermodynamically eliminating side H2 evolution reaction and kinetically promoting water oxidation. As a result, C5 N2 had a competitive solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency of 0.55 % in overall H2 O2 production and exhibited by far the highest activity under hypoxic conditions (698 μM h-1 ). C5 N2 was further applied to hypoxic PDT/CDT with outstanding performance in apparent cancer cell death and synchronous bioimaging. The study sheds light on the photosynthesis of H2 O2 by carbon nitrides for health applications.

Keywords: Carbon Nitrides; Electron Delocalization; Hydrogen Peroxide; Hypoxic Tumors; Photocatalysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carbon
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Photosynthesis*
  • Water

Substances

  • cyanogen
  • Water
  • Carbon