Highly Crystalline K‐Intercalated Polymeric Carbon Nitride for Visible‐Light Photocatalytic Alkenes and Alkynes Deuterations

In addition to the significance of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, the utilization of the in situ generated H/D (deuterium) active species from water splitting for artificial photosynthesis of high value‐added chemicals is very attractive and promising. Herein, photocatalytic water splitting technology is utilized to generate D‐active species (i.e., D(ad)) that can be stabilized on anchored 2nd metal catalyst and are readily for tandem controllable deuterations of carbon–carbon multibonds to produce high value‐added D‐labeled chemicals/pharmaceuticals. A highly crystalline K cations intercalated polymeric carbon nitride (KPCN), rationally designed, and fabricated by a solid‐template induced growth, is served as an ultraefficient photocatalyst, which shows a greater than 18‐fold enhancement in the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution over the bulk PCN. The photocatalytic in situ generated D‐species by superior KPCN are utilized for selective deuteration of a variety of alkenes and alkynes by anchored 2nd catalyst, Pd nanoparticles, to produce the corresponding D‐labeled chemicals and pharmaceuticals with high yields and D‐incorporation. This work highlights the great potential of developing photocatalytic water splitting technology for artificial photosynthesis of value‐added chemicals instead of H(2) evolution.