Recent progress on the design and development of diaminotriazine based molecular catalysts for light-driven hydrogen production

With the depletion of fossil fuels and an increase in global warming, developing clean and sustainable energy resources is imperative. Among the different possible eco-friendly energy resources, H-2 has a bright perspective since it is a clean, environmentally benign, and sustainable energy carrier. Sunlight triggered H-2 evolution reaction (HER) is a compelling solution to harvest the abundant and inexhaustible power of solar energy in chemical bonds in H-2 molecules. At present, the primary concern relies upon the design of novel and efficient photocatalysts for the profitable production of H-2. The article briefly reviews the recent development of molecular complexes and organic frameworks (e.g., MOFs, COFs, HOFs) as prominent H-2 production photocatalysts, including their essential characteristics, mechanism of photo catalytic HER over these materials, and photocatalytic systems recently developed. More importantly, studies on the design of diaminotriazine-based molecular complexes - an advanced photocatalyst class for light-driven H-2 production are reviewed and discussed in detail. This article encloses the following discussion about diaminotriazine-based ligands, and their complexes: (i) advances in structures and properties, (ii) preparation strategies, and (iii) diaminotriazine based molecular catalysts developed for HER. Our recent works on this photocatalyst class are also highlighted, in which diaminotriazine-based catalysts developed by our group are compared with previous molecular catalysts in terms of structure and catalytic activity. The review is expected to provide a crucial basis and significant ideas contributing to the development of efficient molecular catalysts for H-2 production.(c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

With the depletion of fossil fuels and the aggravation of global warming, the development of clean and sustainable energy resources has become imperative. This article reviews the recent development of molecular complexes and organic frameworks as prominent photocatalysts for hydrogen production, with a focus on the design of diaminotriazine-based molecular complexes. The review provides a crucial basis and significant ideas for the development of efficient molecular catalysts for hydrogen production.