Conjugated porous polymers for photocatalytic applications

Abstract

Conjugated porous polymers (CPPs) are a class of fully crosslinked polymers defined by high surface area and porosity in the nanometer range, having been traditionally developed for applications such as gas storage, sensing and (photo)catalysis. As these materials are comprised of extended π-conjugation, their ability to act as light harvesters, and in turn photocatalysts, has come to prominence. The insoluble nature of CPPs allows them to be employed as photocatalysts under heterogeneous conditions, replacing traditional homogeneous systems. This Perspective highlights the current state-of-the-art CPPs along with a view to their applications as heterogeneous photocatalysts for a wide range of chemical transformations including hydrogen production, organic synthesis and photopolymerization, just to name but a few.