Spin‐Polarized Chiral ZnIn <sub>2</sub> S <sub>4</sub> for Targeted Solar‐Driven CO <sub>2</sub> Reduction to Acetic Acid

Y Yongping Cui Y Yuanbo Li Z Zhi‐qiang Wang (State Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Engineering and Industrial Catalysis, Center for Computational Chemistry and Research Institute of Industrial Catalysis, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai China) X Xueliang Zhang L Lu Han (School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China) X Xueli Wang (State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy) J Jinquan Chen (State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy) A Aokun Liu L Lu Yu C Changlin Tian X Xue‐Qing Gong (State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China) W Wanning Zhang (School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs) Y Yuxi Fang (School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Acetic acid represents a pivotal target for CO 2 reduction due to its dual function as a carbon‐utilization product and industrial feedstock. However, photocatalytic CO 2 reduction (PCCR) to acetic acid typically suffers from low acetic acid yields and selectivity, constrained by competing reactions from ethanol and inefficient C–C coupling. Herein, we report a chiral mesostructured ZnIn 2 S 4 (CMZI) photocatalyst that achieves a remarkable acetic acid yield of 962 µmol g −1 h −1 with a high selectivity of 97.3%. This performance stems from synergistic chirality‐induced spin polarization and sulfur site catalysis. Spin polarization stabilizes the triplet OCCO intermediate to enhance C–C coupling, while sulfur sites on ZnIn 2 S 4 {102} facets thermodynamically and kinetically favor acetic acid formation. This work offers critical insights into catalytic strategies of the efficient synthesis of high‐value multicarbon products and expanding the variety of synthetic products from CO 2 reduction.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 65, Issue 20
Published May 11, 2026
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (13)

Y

Yongping Cui

Y

Yuanbo Li

Z

Zhi‐qiang Wang

State Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Engineering and Industrial Catalysis, Center for Computational Chemistry and Research Institute of Industrial Catalysis, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai China

X

Xueliang Zhang

L

Lu Han

School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China

X

Xueli Wang

State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy

J

Jinquan Chen

State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy

A

Aokun Liu

L

Lu Yu

C

Changlin Tian

X

Xue‐Qing Gong

State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China

W

Wanning Zhang

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs

Y

Yuxi Fang

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs