Citation: Xianya Yao, Ning Han, Hui Liu, Lingbao Xing. Construction of donor-acceptor supramolecular organic framework with enhanced superoxide anion radical generation for photocatalytic synthesis of benzimidazole[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(5): 111426. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111426 shu

Construction of donor-acceptor supramolecular organic framework with enhanced superoxide anion radical generation for photocatalytic synthesis of benzimidazole

Xianya Yao ^a ,
Ning Han ^{b, *,} ,
Hui Liu ^a ,
Lingbao Xing ^{a, *,}

a.
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, China
b.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A4, Canada

n.han@utoronto.ca

lbxing@sdut.edu.cn

Received Date: 21 February 2025
Revised Date: 24 May 2025
Accepted Date: 6 June 2025
Available Online: 7 June 2025

Figures(4)

The fabrication of three-component supramolecular organic frameworks (SOFs) is a considerable difficulty owing to the intricate noncovalent interactions and the constraints of current synthesis techniques. In this study, we designed and synthesized two photosensitive modules: a naphthalene-modified triphenylamine derivative (NA-TPA) as the donor unit, and a trimethylated viologen-modified triphenylamine (MV-TPA) as the acceptor unit. These modules can self-assemble into a novel two-dimensional SOF via encapsulation-enhanced donor-acceptor interactions with cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) in the aqueous solution. The resulting donor-acceptor SOF forms stable two-dimensional nanosheet structures in water. Compared to the individual monomers NA-TPA and MV-TPA, the SOF enhances electron transfer and significantly improves the generation of superoxide anion radicals (O₂^•−), which in turn effectively promotes the photocatalytic cyclization reaction between o-phenylenediamine and benzaldehyde in water, achieving a yield of up to 94%. This work offers valuable insights into the design and construction of three-component SOFs based on encapsulation-enhanced donor-acceptor interactions for photocatalytic applications.
- Supramolecular organic framework,
- Donor-acceptor,
- Superoxide anion radicals,
- Photocatalysis
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