Spatially Separated C–C Coupling and Protonation on Cl‐Bridged Ti–Ag Dual‐Site Catalysts for Efficient Photocatalytic CO <sub>2</sub> Reduction to C <sub>2</sub> H <sub>4</sub>

H Haoran Du Y Yangjie Fu (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing P. R. China) R Rou Shi (The Education Ministry Key Lab of Resource Chemistry, Joint International Research Laboratory of Resource Chemistry Shanghai Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Functional Materials, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, College of Chemistry and Materials Science Shanghai Normal University Shanghai 200234 P.R. China) Z Zhiyang Cao (The Education Ministry Key Lab of Resource Chemistry, Joint International Research Laboratory of Resource Chemistry Shanghai Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Functional Materials, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, College of Chemistry and Materials Science Shanghai Normal University Shanghai 200234 P.R. China) S Shao Zhang K Kaihong Liu (Chinese Education Ministry Key Lab and Joint International Research Lab of Resource Chemistry, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, College of Chemistry and Materials Science) J Jiaqi Wang B Bo Jiang (Chinese Education Ministry Key Lab and Joint International Research Lab of Resource Chemistry, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, College of Chemistry and Materials Science) H Hexing Li (Chinese Education Ministry Key Lab and Joint International Research Lab of Resource Chemistry, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, College of Chemistry and Materials Science)

Abstract

Abstract Solar‐driven selective reduction of CO 2 to C 2 H 4 conversion is bottlenecked by the concurrent demands for intermediate protonation and C–C coupling. Herein, we constructed a chlorine (Cl)‐bridged Ti–Ag dual‐site catalysts to overcome above issues. The introduction of Cl on Ti‐Ag dual sites spatially separates C–C coupling and intermediate protonation, making *CO dimerization thermodynamically more favorable than *CO hydrogenation. In situ characterization and DFT calculations reveal that the Cl enables the Ti sites within the Ti─Cl─Ag configuration act as active center for CO 2 activation and C–C coupling, thereby increasing the *CO intermediate concentration and lowering the C–C coupling energy barrier. Concurrently, Ag sites preferentially catalyze H 2 O dissociation, providing active hydrogen for the subsequent protonation of *OCCO intermediates, thus increasing the overall C 2 H 4 formation rate. The optimized Ti─Cl─Ag catalysts achieve high C 2 H 4 production rate of 244 µmol·g −1 ·h −1 with 64.3% selectivity, outperforming O‐bridged Ti–Ag catalysts which mainly favor *CO deep hydrogenation. This work establishes spatially separated Ti–Ag dual sites that orchestrates site‐specific C–C coupling and active hydrogen feeding, providing a rational design concept of photocatalysts for selective reduction of CO 2 to C 2 H 4 .

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 65, Issue 3
Published January 16, 2026
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (9)

H

Haoran Du

Y

Yangjie Fu

University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing P. R. China

R

Rou Shi

The Education Ministry Key Lab of Resource Chemistry, Joint International Research Laboratory of Resource Chemistry Shanghai Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Functional Materials, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, College of Chemistry and Materials Science Shanghai Normal University Shanghai 200234 P.R. China

Z

Zhiyang Cao

The Education Ministry Key Lab of Resource Chemistry, Joint International Research Laboratory of Resource Chemistry Shanghai Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Functional Materials, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, College of Chemistry and Materials Science Shanghai Normal University Shanghai 200234 P.R. China

S

Shao Zhang

K

Kaihong Liu

Chinese Education Ministry Key Lab and Joint International Research Lab of Resource Chemistry, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, College of Chemistry and Materials Science

J

Jiaqi Wang

B

Bo Jiang

Chinese Education Ministry Key Lab and Joint International Research Lab of Resource Chemistry, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, College of Chemistry and Materials Science

H

Hexing Li

Chinese Education Ministry Key Lab and Joint International Research Lab of Resource Chemistry, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, College of Chemistry and Materials Science