Dual-metal hydroxide with ordering frustrated Lewis pairs for photoactivating CO2 to CO

To break challenges in creating frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) on highly stable inorganic materials, an ordering FLPs route is proposed by irradiation of dual-metal hydroxide with alternating light-stable and light-unstable terminal hydroxyls on dual-metal hydroxide. As a successful example, a single-crystal ZnSn(OH)(6) cube with a (100) surface of alternating Zn-OH and Sn-OH terminal hydroxyl groups is irradiated under 300 W Xe lamp to create oxygen vacancies (O-Vs, Lewis acid) via holes oxidizing light-unstable terminal hydroxyls at Sn sites. The FLPs are accordingly constructed between the photo-induced O-Vs and its proximal light-stable Zn-OH terminal hydroxyls (Lewis base), significantly contributing to the decreased barriers during capture, activation, and reduction of CO2 into CO with the assistance of H-2. The present findings are a big leap for designing highly stable FLPs-based inorganic solid catalysts.