Structure–Activity Relationships in Coordination Polymer-Based Electrocatalysts for Effective Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction

The electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) has gained increasing attention in recent years as a strategy to repurpose industrial waste emissions to produce value-added fuels and feedstocks for a net-zero carbon energy cycle. Among the myriad electrocatalytic strategies that have been developed for the CO2RR, coordination polymers represent a broad and exciting class of metal-organic materials which have demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic capabilities for reduction, hydrogenation, and coupling reactions to generate C1, C2, and C2+ products. Owing to the diverse range of metal centers and coordinating ligands, coordination polymers offer great freedom in their design and catalytic properties, with the ability to tune and optimize specific factors such as metal electronic structures, active site proximity, microenvironments, and hydrophobicity, which are capable of steering the catalytic selectivity toward a particular product. In this review, we attempt to provide a focused look at recent advancements in the field of coordination polymers as electrocatalysts for the CO2RR. We specifically explore the structural–functional relationships behind the performance and selectivity of these catalysts. Finally, based on the recent literature, we summarize the implications for the rational design of coordination polymer electrocatalysts for the CO2RR and the future outlook within this field.