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Abstract Phenoxazines are a successful class of organic photoredox catalysts (PCs) with tunable redox and photophysical properties. Originally, we aimed to realize more reducing phenoxazine PCs through heteroatom core substituted (HetCS) derivatives, while maintaining an efficiently oxidizing PC·+. However, core modification with thioether or ether functionality to a PC that exhibits photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer (CT) negligibly alters the singlet excited state reduction potential (ES1°*), while yielding a less oxidizing PC·+(E1/2) (E1/2 = 0.50–0.64 V vs. SCE) compared to the noncore modified PC1(0.68 V vs. SCE). Photophysical characterization of HetCS PCs revealed that increasing electron density on the core of a CT exhibiting PC stabilizes the emissive state and PC·+, resulting in a relatively unchangedES1°* compared to PC1. In contrast, modifying the core of a PC that does not exhibit CT yields a highly reducingES1°* (PC3= −2.48 V vs. SCE) compared to its CT equivalent (PC1d= −1.68 V vs. SCE). The impact of PC property on photocatalytic ability was evaluated through organocatalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization (O‐ATRP). HetCS PCs were able to yield poly(methyl methacrylate) with low dispersity and moderate targeted molecular weight as evaluated by initiator efficiency (I*) in DMAc (Ð= 1.20–1.26;I*= 47–57%). Ultimately, this work provides insight into how phenoxazine PC properties are altered through structural modification, which can inform future PC design.
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Effects of the Chalcogenide Identity in N ‐Aryl Phenochalcogenazine Photoredox Catalysts
Abstract Phenochalcogenazines such as phenoxazines and phenothiazines have been widely employed as photoredox catalysts (PCs) in small molecule and polymer synthesis. However, the effect of the chalcogenide in these catalysts has not been fully investigated. In this work, a series of four phenochalcogenazines is synthesized to understand how the chalcogenide impacts catalyst properties and performance. Increasing the size of the chalcogenide is found to distort the PC structure, ultimately impacting the properties of each PC. For example, larger chalcogenides destabilize the PC radical cation, possibly resulting in catalyst degradation. In addition, PCs with larger chalcogenides experience increased reorganization during electron transfer, leading to slower electron transfer. Ultimately, catalyst performance is evaluated in organocatalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization and a photooxidation reaction for C(sp2)−N coupling. Results from these experiments highlight that a balance of PC properties is most beneficial for catalysis, including a long‐lived excited state, a stable radical cation, and a low reorganization energy.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2055742
- PAR ID:
- 10370987
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- ChemCatChem
- Volume:
- 14
- Issue:
- 17
- ISSN:
- 1867-3880
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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