Topic
Photochemistry research, explained
10 open-access photochemistry studies, each with a flashcard deck and a quiz.
- Photoredox reactions that run as radical chains
Quantum yields of 44, 77, and 18 show product-forming chains—not a closed photocatalytic cycle of Φ ≤ 1—in three visible-light reactions.
- PQ and water oxy-trifluoromethylate enynes
Sunlight-excited phenanthrenequinone turns Langlois’ CF3SO2Na into CF3· and uses water as the oxygen atom to build CF3 benzofurans, benzothiophenes and indoles.
- Platinum photoredox catalysts for trifluoromethylation
Cyclometalated Pt(II) complexes trifluoromethylate unactivated alkenes in >82% yield under 450 nm LEDs by oxidatively quenching CF3I.
- DASA photoswitches work in chloroform if N-methyl
First-generation donor–acceptor Stenhouse adducts with a small N-methyl substituent switch well in chloroform; kinetics split photoisomerisation from cyclisation.
- Strongly reducing Ir photoredox on aryl chlorides
Ir(ppy)2(NacNac) photocatalysts with BIH hydrodehalogenate unactivated aryl bromides, chlorides, fluorides, and alkyl bromides, including with green light.
- Green-light ATRP that tolerates open air
Eosin Y plus a copper ATRP catalyst polymerizes OEOMA under green light in open vials, giving low dispersity even at 1000 rpm stirring.
- Eu(II) cryptate photocatalyzes bibenzyl coupling
A visible-absorbing Eu(II) azacryptate, assembled in situ from EuCl3, ligand and Zn0, reductively couples benzyl chloride to 1,2-diphenylethane with an excited-state potential near −3 V.
- ML and high-throughput screens find organic H2 photocatalysts
Screening 572 then 96 organic molecules under identical HER conditions, plus ML, uncovered unexpected molecular photocatalysts rivaling conjugated polymers.
- Benzaldehyde photoredox heteroarylates amides and ethers
Household CFL light plus benzaldehyde and APS couples heteroarene C–H bonds to amide/ether α-C–H positions without a metal photocatalyst.
- Slow photogenerated Rh–H prefers aldehydes
Proflavine plus a Cp*Rh mediator makes dilute Rh(III)–H that reduces aldehydes while ketones wait, unlike fast formate hydride transfer.