Construction of Dual‐Active‐Site Copper Catalyst Containing both CuN3 and CuN4 Sites

Clear recognition and rational construction of suitable active center for specific reaction is always of great significance in designing highly efficient catalysts. Herein, a dual-active-site copper catalyst (DAS-Cu) containing both CuN₃ and CuN₄ sites is reported. Such catalysts show extremely high catalytic performance (yield: up to 97%) toward oxyphosphorylation of alkenes, while catalysts with single active site (CuN₃ or CuN₄ ) are chemically inert in this reaction. Combined with theoretical and experimental results, the different roles of two different Cu active sites in this reaction are further identified. CuN₃ site captures the oxygen and trigger further oxidizing process, while CuN₄ site provides moderate adsorption sites for the protection of phosphonyl radicals. This work deeply discloses the significant cooperated role with two single-atomic sites in one catalytic active center and brings up a valuable clue for the rational design of better-performing heterogeneous catalyst.