Stable d¹⁰ Metal–Organic Framework Exhibiting Bifunctional Properties of Photocatalytic Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution

A d¹⁰ metal–organic framework ([Hg­(Bpbp)­(SCN)₂]_n (CQNU-1, Bpbp = 4,4′-bis­(4-pyridyl)­biphenyl) has been synthesized and evaluated as a photocatalyst for water splitting. UV–vis spectra and Mott–Schottky analysis indicate that CQNU-1 is a potential photocatalyst with dual functions of hydrogen and oxygen evolution. The results of photocatalytic reactions over CQNU-1 show that, in the presence of a sacrificial agent, the average H₂ and O₂ evolution rates obtained by the pristine CQNU-1 are ∼7.0 and ∼3.4 μmol h^–1 during a 9 h test with three cycles, respectively.