Noble Metal Plasmon–Molecular Catalyst Hybrids for Renewable Energy Relevant Small Molecule Activation

Significant endeavors have been dedicated to the advancement of materials for artificial photosynthesis, aimed at efficiently harvesting light and catalyzing reactions such as hydrogen production and CO₂ conversion. The application of plasmonic nanomaterials emerges as a promising option for this purpose, owing to their excellent light absorption properties and ability to confine solar energy at the nanoscale. In this regard, coupling plasmonic particles with molecular catalysts offers a pathway to create high-performance hybrid catalysts. In this review, we discuss the plasmonic–molecular complex hybrid catalysts where the plasmonic nanoparticles serve as the light-harvesting unit and promote interfacial charge transfer in tandem with the molecular catalyst which drives chemical transformation. In the initial section, we provide a concise overview of plasmonic nanomaterials and their photophysical properties. We then explore recent breakthroughs, highlighting examples from literature reports involving plasmonic–molecular complex hybrids in various catalytic processes. The utilization of plasmonic materials in conjunction with molecular catalysts represents a relatively unexplored area with substantial potential yet to be realized. This review sets a strong basis and motivation to explore the plasmon-induced hot-electron mediated photelectrochemical small molecule activation reactions. Utilizing in situ spectroscopic investigations and ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy, it presents a comprehensive template for scalable and sustainable antenna-reactor systems.