Study on the radiation catalytic reduction of perrhenate in covalent organic framework nanoreactors

However, the inherently low redox potentials of oxysalts such as perrhenate (ReO4–) pose significant challenges to conventional reduction methods. This study demonstrates efficient γ-ray-driven radiation catalytic reduction of ReO4– within olefin-linked covalent organic framework nanoreactors incorporating transition metal centers (M-COF).

Owing to spatial confinement effects and tailored electronic structures, the catalyst facilitates a unique three-electron (3e–) transfer pathway, achieving near-quantitative selectivity for ReO2 production with a remarkable energy efficiency of 42.1 mmol/MJ. Mechanism investigations reveal that hydrated electrons (eaq–), generated via water radiolysis, participate in the electron transfer process and promote the formation of key [M-O(O)-Re] intermediates.