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Industrial upgrading is the key to promoting green economic efficiency. Coordination between environmental regulations and industrial structure can lead to sustainable economic growth. However, insufficient attention has been paid to the mechanism by which environmental regulation (ER) promote green economic efficiency (GEE) under the mediating role of industrial structure optimization. Using robust and comprehensive measures of green economic efficiency, we assess how various environmental regulations affect green economic efficiency as well as the intermediate effect of industrial structure of a certain province with provincial panel data during the period 2003-2017. The results of dynamic panel two-step system generalized method of moments (GMM) confirm the heterogeneous effects of the three types of ER, namely control-and-command regulation, market-based regulation, and voluntary regulation on GEE in China. The spatial analysis demonstrates that control-and-command and voluntary regulations significantly accelerate GEE in inland provinces, while they have insignificant effect in coastal provinces. Based on the mediating analysis, we find that market-based regulation is conducive to GEE through both advanced and rationalized industrial structure, whereas control-and-command regulation improves GEE through advanced industrial structure only. The voluntary-based regulation on one hand stimulates GEE through advanced industrial structure, but on other hand impedes it through rationalized industrial structure. The results could provide critical insights and a theoretical basis for policy makers in reasonable optimization of industrial structure and guaranteeing green economic efficiency.

In this work, we present a new synthetic strategy for fourfold‐substituted perylene monoimides via tetrabrominated perylene monoanhydrides. X‐ray diffraction analysis unveiled the intramolecular stacking orientation between the substituents and semicircular packing behavior. We observed the remarkable influence of the substituent on the longevity and nature of the excited state upon visible light excitation. In the presence of poly(dehydroalanine)‐graft‐poly(ethylene glycol) graft copolymers as solubilizing template, the chromophores are capable of sensitizing [Mo3S13]2− clusters in aqueous solution for stable visible light driven hydrogen evolution over three days., Design and use of perylene monoimide dyes: Novel perylene monoimide dyes have been synthesized, and their properties characterized by XRD, spectroscopic and electrochemical methods. A custom‐made photoreactor was used to exhibit light‐driven hydrogen‐evolution catalysis in the presence of (NH4)2[Mo3S13] catalyst and poly(dehydroalanine)‐graft‐poly(ethylene glycol) solubilizing template for the organic photosensitizers.

Based on the panel data of 30 provinces (except for Tibet, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) in China from 2005 to 2016, a nonlinear threshold regression model and a carbon emission expansion models were constructed to empirically analyze the threshold effect of inward foreign direct investment (IFDI) and outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) on carbon dioxide emission intensity in China. The results show that (1) China's OFDI has increased carbon dioxide emission intensity while the IFDI has a significant inhibitory effect on carbon dioxide emission intensity. (2) The impact of the OFDI on carbon dioxide emission intensity gets influenced by the threshold effect of population size, economic development level, technology level, and environmental regulation. (3) The impact of the IFDI on carbon dioxide emission intensity also has threshold characteristics affected by population size, economic development level, and technological level. Hence, China should introduce more IFDI, optimize the structure of the OFDI, and exert its environmental improvement effect to satisfy the carbon emission reduction goal earlier.

A mechanistic study on the distinct hydrogen evolution reactivity (HER) of three cyclometalated IrIII complex���polyoxometalate (Ir���POMM) dyads. Their HER activity was tuned by modifying the central metal ion M of the POMM. The lifetime or the yield of Ir.+���POMM.��� determined the different HER activity of Ir���POMM (see figure). Covalently linked photosensitizer���polyoxometalate (PS���POM) dyads are promising molecular systems for light���induced energy conversion processes, such as ���solar��� hydrogen generation. To date, very little is known of their fundamental photophysical properties which affect the catalytic reactivity and stability of the systems. PS���POM dyads often feature short���lived photoinduced charge���separated states, and the lifetimes of these states are considered crucial for the function of PS���POM dyads in molecular photocatalysis. Hence, strategies have been developed to extend the lifetimes of the photoinduced charge���separated states, either by tuning the PS photophysics or by tuning the POM redox properties. Recently, some of us reported PS���POM dyads based on cyclometalated IrIII complexes covalently linked to Anderson���type polyoxometalate. Distinct hydrogen evolution reactivity (HER) of the dyads was observed, which was tuned by varying the central metal ion M of the POMM (M=Mn3+, Co3+, Fe3+). In this manuscript, the photoinduced electron���transfer processes in the three Ir���POMM dyads are investigated to rationalize the underlying reasons for the differences in HER activity observed. We report that upon excitation of the IrIII complex, ultrafast (sub���ps) charge separation occurs, leading to different amounts of the charge���separated states (Ir.+���POMM.���) generated in the different dyads. However, in all dyads studied, the resulting Ir.+���POMM.��� species are short���lived (sub���ns) when compared to reference electron acceptors (e.g. porphyrins or fullerenes) reported in the literature. The reductive quenching of Ir.+���POMM.��� by a sacrificial donor, triethyl amine (1 m), to generate the intermediate Ir���POMM.��� is estimated to be very efficient (70���80 %) for all dyads studied. Based on this analyses, we conclude that the yield instead of the lifetime of the Ir.+���POMM.��� charge���separated state determines the catalytic capacity of the dyads investigated. This new feature in the PS���POM photophysics could lead to new design criteria for the development of novel PS���POM dyads., publishedVersion

Understanding the limitations of catalytic processes enables the design of optimized catalysts. Here, femtosecond transient absorption spectroelectrochemistry is used to explore the photophysics of polyoxometalate-based covalent photosensitizer-hydrogen evolution catalyst dyads. The study shows that the presence of light-driven forward and backward electron transfer, i.e. "electron ping-pong", is a limiting factor for charge accumulation on the polyoxometalate. Based on this insight, chemical means of optimizing catalyst performance are proposed.

Understanding the complex photophysics of covalent photosensitizer–catalyst (PS–CAT) dyads is the basis for advanced structure and reactivity design. Here, we compare the light-induced processes of two PS–CAT hydrogen evolution dyads which differ in the chemical linkage between the Ir photosensitizer and the polyoxometalate catalyst. Variation of the linkage structure results in major changes of the photophysical properties and deactivation pathways which could be one of the factors controlling the catalytic activity.

Green total factor productivity (GTFP) is an excellent index for green development. The objective of this study was to check whether environmental regulation (ER) can affect GTFP through the mediating role of foreign direct investment (FDI) quantity and quality. Using the super-efficiency Epsilon-based measure (EBM) model and a Malmquist–Luenberger (ML) index, China’s GTFP growth was measured during 1998–2018. On this basis, we adopted a Systematic Generalized Method of Moments (SYS-GMM) to analyze the effect of ER on GTFP. The findings show that China’s GTFP declined first and rose again during the sample period. GTFP in the coastland was greater than that in the inland region. ER positively affected China’s GTFP growth. FDI quantity and quality mediated the nexus between ER and GTFP growth in the whole nation. Specifically, this mediation role of FDI quantity and quality was only significant in coastal China. Additionally, financial development can also boost GTFP growth in China. Given the importance of developing a green economy, the government should improve the FDI quality and attract green FDI.

In the recent years, fintech industry of the fourth industrial revolution has grown multifold, which raised the concerns of scholars over the excessive usage of electricity. This paper places contribution to the existing literature by analyzing the impact of fintech industry on environmental efficiency across selected EU countries. We also utilized indicators like high-tech industry and e-commerce along with fintech industry to better understand the relationship between fourth industrial revolution and environmental efficiency. This study used Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to evaluate environmental efficiency using two different techniques i.e., Slack-Base Measure (SBM) and Epsilon-Based Measure (EBM). Method of Moments Quantile (MMQ) regression is employed as a basic regression technique, while instrumental variables Generalized method of Moments (IV-GMM) is used for robust analysis. The results show that, the overall environmental efficiency of EU countries have improved over the years. As the indicators of the fourth industrial revolution, fintech industry and e-commerce exert a positive effect and improve environmental efficiency; however, high-tech industry reduces environmental efficiency. The results further show that, economic growth and green finance investment promote environmental efficiency, while industrialization and R&D deteriorates it. The results can be of special interest for the policy makers of technological world.

A comprehensive understanding of how the molecular structure influences the electronic coupling is crucial in optimizing (supra) molecular assemblies for photoinduced electron transfer. Here, we report that the electronic coupling underlying electron transfer from a phenothiazine donor to a photoexcited Ru(tpy)2 acceptor is modulated by substitution of the second (remote) tpy-ligand.

Photoinduced electron transfer via hopping is generally considered to have a stronger temperature dependence than electron transfer via superexchange. However, in this work, an opposite trend of the temperature dependence is observed. This unexpected result is rationalized by considering the specific geometrical and electronic structure of the Ru-bis(terpyridine) photosensitizer.

The covalent attachment of molecular photosensitizers (PS) to polyoxometalates (POMs) opens new pathways to PS-POM dyads for light-driven charge-transfer and charge-storage. Here, we report a synthetic route for the covalent linkage of BODIPY-dyes to Anderson-type polyoxomolybdates by using CLICK chemistry (i. e. copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition, CuAAC). Photophysical properties of the dyad were investigated by combined experimental and theoretical methods and highlight the role of both sub-components for the charge-separation properties. The study demonstrates how CLICK chemistry can be used for the versatile linkage of organic functional units to molecular metal oxide clusters.

Tetracyanobuta-1,3-diene (TCBD) is a powerful and versatile electron-acceptor moiety widely used for the preparation of electroactive conjugates. While many reports addressing its electron-accepting capability have appeared in the literature, significantly scarcer are those dealing with its chemical modification, a relevant topic which allows to broaden the chemical space of this interesting functional unit. Here, we report on the first example of a high-yielding cyano-Diels-Alder (CDA) reaction between TCBD, that is, where a nitrile group acts as a dienophile, and an anthryl moiety, that is, acting as a diene. The resulting anthryl-fused-TCBD derivative, which structure was unambiguously identified by X-ray diffraction, shows high thermal stability, remarkable electron-accepting capability, and interesting electronic ground- and excited-state features, as characterized by a thorough theoretical, electrochemical, and photophysical investigation. Moreover, a detailed kinetic analysis of the intramolecular CDA reaction transforming the anthryl-TCBD-based reactant into the anthryl-fused-TCBD product was carried out at different temperatures.

Agriculture produced the largest methane emissions in China. It is of great importance to investigate effect of fertilizer using intensity on the environmental efficiency of China’s agriculture. This paper mainly investigates the determinants of environmental efficiency of China’s agriculture. First, we estimate environmental efficiency of China’s agriculture of 30 provinces from 1997 to 2014 through metafrontier SBM super efficiency with undesirable outputs, which allow for technology heterogeneity in different regions. Then, we compare environmental efficiency in different regions. Furthermore, we also analyze whether heterogeneity of environmental technology widened or decreased. Last, we also explore the determinants of environmental efficiency of China’s agriculture through bootstrap truncation regression. We find that fertilizer intensity negatively affects environmental efficiency. Urbanization has significant positive (1.454) effect on environmental efficiency under metafrontier in the east. It is significant use more organic fertilizer to decrease CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions. It is important to enhance environmental innovation for China’s agriculture.

In China, agriculture produces the greatest chemical oxygen demand (COD) emissions in wastewater and the most methane (CH4) emissions. It is imperative that agricultural pollution in China be reduced. This study investigated the influencing factors of the CO2 emission intensity of Chinese agriculture from 1997 to 2014. We analyzed the influencing factors of the CO2 emission intensity through the first-stage least-square regression. We also analyzed determinants of innovation through the second-stage least-square regression. We found that innovation negatively affected the CO2 emission intensity in the model of the nation. FDI positively affected innovation in China. It is important to enhance indigenous innovation for green agriculture through labor training and collaboration between agriculture and academia.

Polyoxometalate (POM)-associated charge-separated states, formed by the photoinduced oxidation of a covalently attached photosensitizer and reduction of the POM, have attracted much attention due to the remarkable catalytic properties of the reduced POMs. However, short lifetimes of the POM-associated charge-separated state, which in some cases lead to the backward electron transfer being more rapid than the formation of the charge-separated state itself, are generally observed. Recently, we reported on the first example of a relative long-lived (τ = 470 ns) charge-separated state in a Ru(ii) bis(terpyridine)-POM molecular dyad. In this manuscript, further studies on extended molecular structures - two molecular triads - which contain an additional electron donor, phenothiazine (PTZ) or π-extended tetrathiafulvalene (exTTF), are discussed. We show that the excitation of the photosensitizer leads to the population of two distinct MLCT states, which differ in the distribution of excess electron density on the two distinct tpy ligands. These two MLCT states decay separately and, thus, constitute the starting points for distinct intramolecular electron-transfer pathways leading to the simultaneous population of two partially charge-separated states, i.e. PTZ˙+-Ru(tpy)2˙--POM and PTZ-RuIII(tpy)2-POM˙-. These independent decay pathways are unaffected by the choice of the electron donor. Thus, the initial charge distribution within the coordination environment of the photocenter determines the nature of the subsequent (partially) charge separated state that is formed in the triads. These results might open new avenues to design molecular interfaces, in which the directionality of electron transfer can be tuned by the choice of initial excitation.

This paper investigates the decoupling of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from agricultural economic growth in 30 Chinese provinces from 1997 to 2014. First, CO2 emissions from agricultural production activities, farming, and livestock husbandry are computed. Then, this paper explores the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of CO2 emissions and their intensity in China’s agricultural sector. Finally, this paper compares decoupling of China’s agricultural CO2 emissions from agricultural output value across different regions and years. The results indicate that fertilizer, in-season rice cultivation, and cattle generated the most CO2 emissions in the categories of agricultural production activities, farming, and livestock husbandry, respectively. The results also show that East China covered more periods of the strong decoupling of CO2 emissions from agricultural output value between 1997 and 2014. To decrease CO2 emissions, this paper suggests imposing a higher value-added tax on fertilizer producers, while waiving value-added tax for organic fertilizer and substituting animal manure for conventional fertilizers where possible.

Distance-dependent electron transfer in donor–spacer–acceptor systems is accepted to occur via two distinct mechanisms, that is, by coherent superexchange or incoherent hopping. In general, the rate of electron transfer (kET) decreases with increasing donor–acceptor distances, irrespective of the actual mechanism being responsible for the process. However, recently Wenger and his group showed that in the frame of the superexchange mechanism electron-transfer rates can pass a maximum when increasing the transfer distance. This manuscript presents an investigation of the forward electron transfer in a series of donor (N-methylphenothiazine)–photocenter (Ru(II) bis(terpyridine) complex)–acceptor (N-methylfulleropyrrolidine) triads that reveals the control of the electron-transfer rates by solvent variation to an extent that in acetonitrile an increasing electron-transfer rate is observed with increasing donor–acceptor distance, while in dichloromethane an increase in the separation causes the electron transf...

The photochemistry of RuII coordination compounds is generally discussed to originate from the lowest lying triplet metal-to-ligand charge-transfer state (3 MLCT). However, when heteroleptic complexes are considered, for example, in the design of molecular triads for efficient photoinduced charge separation, a complex structure of 1 MLCT states, which can be populated in a rather narrow spectral window (typically around 450 nm) is to be considered. In this contribution we show that the localization of MLCT excited states on different ligands can affect the following ps to ns decay pathways to an extent that by tuning the excitation wavelength, intermolecular energy transfer from a RuII -terpyridine unit to a fullerene acceptor can be favored over electron transfer within the molecular triad. These results might have important implications for the design of molecular dyads, triads, pentads and so forth with respect to a specifically targeted response of these complexes to photoexcitation.

Green innovation (GI) is an important way to realize the sustainable development. This paper contributes to the existing literature by analyzing the effects of different environmental regulations on green innovation from a heterogeneous perspective. We also compare the impacts of indigenous innovation input and foreign technology spillover on green innovation. The dataset of this paper covers a panel of China's 30 provinces from 2003 to 2017. The results of Systematic Generalized Method of Moments (SYS-GMM) show that command-and-control regulation (CER) and informal regulation (IER) have significant "Porter's effect" on green innovation while market-based regulation (MER) negatively affects green innovation in China. Inward foreign direct investment (IFDI) plays a positive role in developing China's green innovation thus, validating the "Pollution Halo hypothesis". Outward direct investment (OFDI) has a reverse green technique effect on China's green innovation. In addition, the positive effect of indigenous innovation input on green innovation is larger than that of foreign technology spillover from IFDI and OFDI. Moreover, the strengthening of CER weakens the positive effect of IFDI on green innovation. By contrast, the increase of IER can promote the reverse green technology spillover effect of OFDI on green innovation. On the basis of results, the government should attract green inward FDI and invest on foreign technology-intensive industries to obtain green technology spillover and stimulate green innovation.

In the context of global warming, increasing carbon productivity is an important way to balance environmental goals with economic growth and development. In this study, we measure the provincial industrial carbon productivity (ICP) in China. Employing spatial production-theoretical decomposition analysis and data from the industrial sector in each province of China, we investigate the regional disparities in ICP and the driving factors at the provincial and sectoral levels. The results indicate that the ICP discrepancies across different regions are obvious: the eastern region had the highest ICP, followed by the northeastern, central, and western regions. The capital-energy substitution effect and CO2 emission performance were two principal contributors to increasing the regional disparities for most provinces. By contrast, the labor-energy substitution effect and energy consumption structure remained relatively backward and resulted in lower ICP than the average level in most provinces. Furthermore, 12 key industrial subsectors, including electricity generation sector, five energy-intensive manufacturing sectors and six nonenergy intensive manufacturing sectors, in 13 provinces (including Hebei, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Anhui, and all the other western provinces) were identified as the main drivers of the lower than average ICP in these 13 provinces. For the12 industrial sectors in the 13 provinces, industrial structure, and CO2 emission performance were the main causes of their backward carbon productivity. Based on the findings of this study, several relevant suggestions for policymakers are provided.

This paper mainly explores the heterogeneous effects of endogenous and foreign innovation on convergence of CO2 emissions across China's 30 provinces from 2003 to 2017. The main academic contributions of this paper are as follows: convergence analysis of CO2 emissions in China is conducted by integrating the β-convergence and stochastic convergence, which can overcome the invalid inferences of conventional convergence. We also compare different effects of inward foreign direction investment (IFDI) versus outward foreign direction investment (OFDI) on CO2 emissions convergence. Quantile regression is employed in absolute and conditional β-convergence of CO2 emissions, which considers more detailed quantile distribution of different variables than traditional ordinary least squares regression. We also compare different convergence of CO2 emissions across China's East, Middle and West. According to the stochastic convergence, East China has the largest convergence rate, followed by Middle China; endogenous innovation decreased CO2 emissions in China. OFDI had negative effects on CO2 missions in China. It is important for Chinese firms to enhance endogenous green innovation capacity. It is imperative for Chinese government to increase reverse green technology spillover from OFDI.

The correct name of the 2nd Author is Yusen Luo. The original article has been corrected.

Observation of photoinduced intramolecular charge-separation is difficult for photosensitizer-POM dyads because of rapid backward electron transfer. We report here for the first time on a long-lived charge-separated state (τ = 470 ns) observed in a Ru(ii) bis(terpyridine)-based dyad. Charge-separation occurs despite virtually no driving force and the short intrinsic excited-state lifetime of the photosensitizer.

Two donor–π–donor (D–π–D) type compounds containing carbazole as electron donors around the perylene core were synthesized and fabricated into controllable nano/microstructures from 0D to 1D by adjusting the growth rate. The difference in symmetry between the two molecules results in distinct self-assembly behaviours. Fluorescence microscopy images and fluorescence spectra of these self-assembled structures displayed different optical properties. It is indicated that the photophysical properties of these two compounds in the solid state are determined not only by their chemical structures but also by the mode of molecular packing.

Herein, thermally treated glucose in alkaline solution at 60 °C for 10 min was used to reduce tetrachloroauric acid for the preparation of gold nanoflowers within the size range of 50–520 nm. The use of the glucose activated for a longer period of time led to the formation of gold nanoparticles with less anisotropic characteristics. The degradation of glucose in alkaline solution results in enediols and carboxylates. It was suggested that the product has stronger reduction ability and limited protection effect for tetrachloroauric acid and gold nanoparticles, respectively, contributes to the controlled formation of gold nanoflowers. The as-prepared gold nanoflowers showed better surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity than citrate or PVP coated ones when rhodamine 6G (R6G) was used as probe molecule.

In China, agriculture produces the greatest chemical oxygen demand (COD) emissions in wastewater and the most methane (CH

Two novel donor–acceptor molecules, 2,7-diphenylbenzo[1,2-b:4,3-b′]difuran-4,5-dicarbonitrile and 2,7-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)benzo[1,2-b:4,3-b′]difuran-4,5-dicarbonitrile containing cyano group as the electron acceptor, were synthesized. Their single-crystal structures, molecular packing, and self-assembly behaviors were also investigated. By simple solvent evaporation techniques, these compounds self-assemble into various low-dimensional microstructures that demonstrate distinctive nonlinear optical properties depending on the orientations of their transition dipoles. This study highlights the importance of the transition dipole moment in the construction of low-dimensional molecular materials with highly efficient nonlinear optical properties.