Ferrocene-Linkage-Facilitated Charge Separation in Conjugated Microporous Polymers

Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) have full access to the organic synthesis toolbox and feature-rich functionality, structural diversity, and high surface area. We incorporated ferrocene (Fc) into the backbones of CMPs and systematically engineered their optical energy gaps. Compared with the CMPs without Fc units yet adopting a similar molecular orbital level, Fc-based CMPs can sufficiently generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) under visible light. The resultant ROS are able to effectively decompose the absorbed pollutants, including organic dyes and chemical warfare agents. Specifically, Fc-based CMPs significantly outperform commercial TiO₂ (P25) in the degradation of methylene blue and are capable of converting 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (a mustard gas simulant) into a completely nontoxic product.