Defect　engineering　and　single　atom　incorporation　can　provide　more　active　sites　to　modulate　the　surface　electronic　structure　of　a　catalyst　and　to　activate　reactant　molecules.　Herein,　a　series　of　Ru-anchored　DUT-67(Zr)　MOFs　with　explicit　defect　sites　have　been　prepared　for　photocatalytic　nitrogen　reduction.　It　is　characterized　that　Ru/DUT-67(Zr)　possesses　uniformly　dispersed　Ru　single　atoms　and　unsaturated　Zr.　Typically,　1.0　%Ru/DUT-67(Zr)　shows　best　performance　with　a　NH4+　yield　of　61.1　μmol·g−1·h−1,　which　is　approximately　6-folds　higher　than　that　of　defective　DUT-67(Zr)　without　Ru　single　atom　(DUT-L),　while　pristine　DUT-67(Zr)　exhibits　a　lack　of　the　photocatalytic　N2　reduction　activity.　The　observed　enhancement　can　be　attributed　to　the　introduction　of　Ru　and　unsaturated　Zr　sites　induced　by　irradiation.　Both　of　them　can　work　together　act　as　active　centers　to　absorb　and　activate　dinitrogen　molecule.　Furthermore,　benefited　from　the　electronic　channel　(Ru-S)　between　Ru　and　DUT-67(Zr),　the　separation　of　photogenerated　carriers　has　been　greatly　improved,　contributing　to　the　collaborative　conversion　of　activated　N2　to　NH3.　This　study　provides　a　new　insight　for　designing　a　dual　active　sites　photocatalyst　with　unsaturated　coordinated　sites　and　the　single　atoms　by　the　coordinately　interaction　of　functionalized　linker.　©　2025　Elsevier　B.V.