Abstract Conventional organic photocatalysis typically relies on ultraviolet and short‐wavelength visible photons as the energy source. However, this approach often suffers from competing light absorption by reactants, products, intermediates, and co‐catalysts, leading to reduced quantum efficiency and side reactions. To address this issue, we developed novel organic two‐photon‐absorbing (TPA) photosensitizers capable of functioning under deep red and near‐infrared light irradiation. Three model reactions including cyclization, Sonogashira Csp2−Cspcross‐coupling, and Csp2−N cross‐coupling reactions were selected to compare the performance of the new photosensitizers under both blue (427 nm) and deep red (660 nm) light irradiation. The obtained results unambiguously prove that for reactions involving blue light‐absorbing reactants, products, and/or co‐catalysts, deep red light source resulted in better performance than blue light when utilizing our TPA photosensitizers. This work highlights the potential of our metal‐free TPA photosensitizers as a sustainable and effective solution to mitigate the competing light absorption issue in photocatalysis, not only expanding the scope of organic photocatalysts but also reducing reliance on expensive Ru/Ir/Os‐based photosensitizers.
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Red Light–Blue Light Chromoselective C(sp 2 )–X Bond Activation by Organic Helicenium-Based Photocatalysis
Chromoselective bond activation has been achieved in organic helicenium (nPr-DMQA+)-based photoredox catalysis. Consequently, control over chromoselective C(sp2)–X bond activation in multihalogenated aromatics has been demonstrated. nPr-DMQA+ can only initiate the halogen atom transfer (XAT) pathway under red light irradiation to activate low-energy-accessible C(sp2)–I bonds. In contrast, blue light irradiation initiates consecutive photoinduced electron transfer (conPET) to activate more challenging C(sp2)–Br bonds. Comparative reaction outcomes have been demonstrated in the α-arylation of cyclic ketones with red and blue lights. Furthermore, red-light-mediated selective C(sp2)–I bonds have been activated in iodobromoarenes to keep the bromo functional handle untouched. Finally, the strength of the chromoselective catalysis has been highlighted with two-fold functionalization using both photo-to-transition metal and photo-to-photocatalyzed transformations.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2144018
- PAR ID:
- 10631599
- Publisher / Repository:
- ACS - JACS
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of the American Chemical Society
- Volume:
- 146
- Issue:
- 12
- ISSN:
- 0002-7863
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 7922 to 7930
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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