Advances in the general design of high-performance metal phthalocyanine-based catalysts

The development of high-performance catalysts is critical for achieving a sustainable future. Metal phthalocyanines (MPcs), molecular catalysts with well-defined M–N₄ coordination, exhibit unparalleled advantages in atomic precision, structural tunability, and compatibility with renewable energy-driven processes. Significant research efforts have been dedicated to enhancing the performance of MPc-based catalysts to meet the demands of diverse and complex reaction conditions. Therefore, in order to promote the development of MPc-based catalysts, a systematic and in-depth summary of the existing modification strategies is necessary. In this review, we systematically summarize and discuss the modulation mechanisms of MPc-based catalyst performance through selecting metal centers, support effects, dimensionality regulation, coordination microenvironment engineering, and co-catalysis, with a focused analysis on  structure-performance relationships and the underlying theoretical principles. Subsequently, we outline the research progress of these modulation strategies in various reaction processes, including carbon dioxide reduction, oxygen reduction reaction, nitrogen species reduction, water splitting, and water environmental remediation. Finally, the future opportunities and challenges of MPc-based catalysts are discussed. This review will be of great significance for the design and application of efficient MPc-based catalysts.