Side‐Chain Molecular Engineering of Triazole‐Based Donor‐Acceptor Polymeric Photocatalysts with Strong Electron Push‐Pull Interactions

Abstract

AbstractA new series of donor‐acceptor (D‐A)‐type semiconductive polymers were generated by the integration of electron‐deficient alkyl chain anchored triazole (TA) moieties and electron‐rich pyrene units into the polymer skeleton. The polymer series demonstrated satisfactory light‐harvesting ability and suitable band gaps. In the series, polymer P‐TAME benefits from a minimized exciton binding energy, strongest D‐A interaction, and favorable hydrophilicity, affording an outstanding photocatalytic H2 evolution rate of ca. 100 μmol h−1 (10 mg polymer, AQY420 nm=8.9 %) and H2O2 production rate of ca. 190 μmol h−1 (20 mg polymer) under visible‐light irradiation, which is superior to most currently reported polymers. All polymers in the series can mediate water oxidation reactions to evolve O2. Thus, these TA‐based polymers open up a new avenue toward tailor‐made efficient photocatalysts with broad photocatalytic activities.