Recent advances in polyoxometalate-based catalysts for light-driven valorization of biomass derivatives

Photocatalytic organic transformation has been emerging as a promising approach for achieving value-added conversion of biomass derivatives due to its environmentally benign nature and high efficiency. Polyoxometalates (POMs), a class of atomically precise cluster catalysts with rich redox capabilities, reversible electron/proton-storing abilities, and intriguing physicochemical properties, have demonstrated significant potential in the photocatalytic valorization of biomass derivatives. This Frontier article briefly summarizes recent advances in POM-based photocatalytic systems for biomass valorization, with particular focus on two key aspects: (1) POMs as photocatalysts to drive photocatalytic reactions and (2) POMs as cocatalysts in synergistic photocatalytic systems.