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The rapid development of light-activated organic photoredox catalysts has led to the proliferation of powerful synthetic chemical strategies with industrial and pharmaceutical applications. Despite the advancement in synthetic approaches, a detailed understanding of the mechanisms governing these reactions has lagged. Time-resolved optical spectroscopy provides a method to track organic photoredox catalysis processes and reveal the energy pathways that drive reaction mechanisms. These measurements are sensitive to key processes in organic photoredox catalysis such as charge or energy transfer, lifetimes of singlet or triplet states, and solvation dynamics. The sensitivity and specificity of ultrafast spectroscopic measurements can provide a new perspective on the mechanisms of these reactions, including electron-transfer events, the role of solvent, and the short lifetimes of radical intermediates.
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This content will become publicly available on June 19, 2026
Efficient super-reducing organic photoredox catalysis with proton-coupled electron transfer mitigated back electron transfer
Photoredox catalysis driven by visible light has improved chemical synthesis by enabling milder reaction conditions and unlocking distinct reaction mechanisms. Despite the transformative impact, visible-light photoredox catalysis remains constrained by the thermodynamic limits of photon energy and inefficiencies arising from unproductive back electron transfer, both of which become particularly pronounced in thermodynamically demanding reactions. In this work, we introduce an organic photoredox catalyst system that overcomes these obstacles to drive chemical transformations that require super-reducing capabilities. This advancement is accomplished by coupling the energy of two photons into a single chemical reduction, whereas inefficiencies from back electron transfer are mitigated through a distinct proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism embedded in the catalyst design. The super-reducing capabilities of this organic catalyst system are demonstrated through efficient application in a broad scope of challenging arene reductions.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2318141
- PAR ID:
- 10631292
- Publisher / Repository:
- AAAS
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Science
- Volume:
- 388
- Issue:
- 6753
- ISSN:
- 0036-8075
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1294 to 1300
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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