Versatile synthesis of nano-icosapods via cation exchange for effective photocatalytic conversion of biomass-relevant alcohols

Branched metal chalcogenide nanostructures with well-defined composition and configuration are appealing photocatalysts for solar-driven organic transformations. However, precise design and controlled synthesis of such nanostructures still remain a great challenge. Herein, we report the construction of a variety of highly symmetrical metal sulfides and heterostructured icosapods based on them, in which twenty branches were radially grown in spatially ordered arrangement, with a high degree of structure homogeneity. Impressively, the as-obtained CdS–Pd(x)S icosapods manifest a significantly improved photocatalytic activity for the selective oxidation of biomass-relevant alcohols into corresponding aldehydes coupled with H(2) evolution under visible-light irradiation (>420 nm), and the apparent quantum yield of the benzyl alcohol reforming can be achieved as high as 31.4% at 420 nm. The photoreforming process over the CdS–Pd(x)S icosapods is found to be directly triggered by the photogenerated electrons and holes without participation of radicals. The enhanced photocatalytic performance is attributed to the fast charge separation and abundant active sites originating from the well-defined configuration and spatial organization of the components in the branched heterostructures.