Polymerization-Enhanced Photocatalysis for the Functionalization of C(sp3)–H Bonds

Aerobic oxidative C-C bond formation through C-H bond activation catalysed by flavin and iodine

We report a metal/light-free aerobic oxidative C-C bond formation using sp3 C-H bond activation of tetrahydroisoquinolines catalyzed by flavin and iodine. The dual catalytic system enabled the oxidative Mannich and aza-Henry reactions by the cross-dehydrogenative coupling between two sp3 C-H bonds. Furthermore, the flavin-iodine-coupled catalysis was applied to the synthesis of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines through the sequential oxidative 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition and dehydrogenative aromatization. The biomimetic flavin catalysis efficiently activates molecular oxygen; thus the non-metal dual catalytic system enables green oxidative transformation using molecular oxygen as an environmentally friendly terminal oxidant which generates benign water.

Mn-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative α-Cyanation of Tertiary Amines Using Azo/Hydrazide Redox

Azo compounds such as diethyl azodicarboxylate have been used in oxidative coupling reactions to generate iminium ions from tertiary amines. However, the requirement of stoichiometric amounts of azo compounds limits their large-scale applications. Herein, we present an aerobic oxidative α-cyanation of tertiary amines using catalytic amounts of an azo compound or hydrazine. The developed protocol provides a practical and ecofriendly route for α-cyanated tertiary amines, using molecular oxygen as the terminal oxidant.

Organic-Inorganic Interfacial Dipole Induced by Energy Level Alignment for Efficient Photocatalytic Sterilization

Photocatalytic molecules are considered to be one of the most promising substitutions of antibiotics against multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. However, the strong excitonic effect greatly restricts their efficiency in antibacterial performance. Inspired by the interfacial dipole effect, a Ti3C2 MXene modified photocatalytic molecule (MTTTPyB) is designed and synthesized to enhance the yield of photogenerated carriers under light irradiation. The alignment of the energy level between Ti3C2 and MTTTPyB results in the formation of an interfacial dipole, which can provide an impetus for the separation of carriers. Under the role of a dipole electric field, these photogenerated electrons can rapidly migrate to the side of Ti3C2 for improving the separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes. Thus, more electrons can be utilized to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) under light irradiation. As a result, over 97.04% killing efficiency can be reached for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) when the concentration of MTTTPyB/Ti3C2 was 50 ppm under 660 nm irradiation for 15 min. A microneedle (MN) patch made from MTTTPyB/Ti3C2 was used to treat the subcutaneous bacterial infection. This design of an organic-inorganic interface provides an effective method to minimize the excitonic effect of molecules, further expanding the platform of inorganic/organic hybrid materials for efficient phototherapy.

Efficient unsymmetric disulfide formation by molecular-scale tailoring of ortho-polyquinone-based polymer photocatalyst

Disulfide bonds, especially unsymmetric disulfide bonds, have important applications in bioactivity and drug molecules, but the synthesis of unsymmetric disulfide bonds remains challenging due to efficiency and selectivity issues. Herein, this work utilizes anthraquinone (AQ) and cyclictriphosphonononitrile through a nucleophilic substitution reaction to synthesize an organic polymer (ANTH-AMI) that incorporates an ortho-polyquinone (o-polyquinone) redox center. The anthraquinone molecule functions as a redox center, capable of accepting photoinduced electrons and subsequently transferring them to initiate an electron-coupled hydrogenation reaction (AQ to AQH). Moreover, the proximity of the o-polyquinone redox sites facilitates the catalysis of unsymmetric disulfide bond formation. Consequently, the ANTH-AMI photocatalysts demonstrate exceptional yields (up to 82 %), substrate versatility, cycling stability, and scalable preparation in promoting unsymmetric coupling reactions of thiol. This work offers a solution for designing organic polymer photocatalysts with adjacent multiple redox centers for cross-coupling reactions.

Embracing heterogeneous photocatalysis: evolution of photocatalysts in annulation of dimethylanilines and maleimides

Recent advances in visible-light-promoted construction of tetrahydroquinolines from dimethylanilines and maleimides are documented. Homogeneous and heterogeneous photocatalytic systems, as well as the reaction mechanism, are emphasized. The mechanism of this photocatalytic annulation reaction is quite clear, i.e., dimethylanilines and maleimides serve as the radical precursors and radical acceptors, respectively. This annulation reaction could serve as an excellent platform for evaluating novel oxidative heterogeneous photocatalytic systems, which could further inspire chemists in this field to develop more efficient photocatalytic systems. Significant opportunities are expected in the future for heterogeneous photocatalysis strategies.

Synthetic Methods for Azaheterocyclic Phosphonates and Their Biological Activity: An Update 2004-2024

The increasing importance of azaheterocyclic phosphonates in the agrochemical, synthetic, and medicinal field has provoked an intense search in the development of synthetic routes for obtaining novel members of this family of compounds. This updated review covers methodologies established since 2004, focusing on the synthesis of azaheterocyclic phosphonates, of which the phosphonate moiety is directly substituted onto to the azaheterocyclic structure. Emphasizing recent advances, this review classifies newly developed synthetic approaches according to the ring size and providing information on biological activities whenever available. Furthermore, this review summarizes information on various methods for the formation of C-P bonds, examining sustainable approaches such as the Michaelis-Arbuzov reaction, the Michaelis-Becker reaction, the Pudovik reaction, the Hirao coupling, and the Kabachnik-Fields reaction. After analyzing the biological activities and applications of azaheterocyclic phosphonates investigated in recent years, a predominant focus on the evaluation of these compounds as anticancer agents is evident. Furthermore, emerging applications underline the versatility and potential of these compounds, highlighting the need for continued research on synthetic methods to expand this interesting family.

Efficient and scalable synthesis of 3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1(2H)-ones by benzylic oxidation of tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives using cerium ammonium nitrate (CAN)

An efficient and scalable method for the synthesis of 3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1(2H)-ones through benzylic oxidation of tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives using a catalytic amount of cerium ammonium nitrate (CAN) and a stoichiometric amount of NaBrO3 as oxidants was developed. The reaction is significantly influenced by the substituent groups on the phenyl ring. While electron-withdrawing groups on the phenyl ring can lower the reactivities of the substrates, electron-donating groups on the phenyl ring can dramatically promote the oxidation rate.

Redox-Active Organic Materials: From Energy Storage to Redox Catalysis

Electroactive materials are central to myriad applications, including energy storage, sensing, and catalysis. Compared to traditional inorganic electrode materials, redox-active organic materials such as porous organic polymers (POPs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are emerging as promising alternatives due to their structural tunability, flexibility, sustainability, and compatibility with a range of electrolytes. Herein, we discuss the challenges and opportunities available for the use of redox-active organic materials in organoelectrochemistry, an emerging area in fine chemical synthesis. In particular, we highlight the utility of organic electrode materials in photoredox catalysis, electrochemical energy storage, and electrocatalysis and point to new directions needed to unlock their potential utility for organic synthesis. This Perspective aims to bring together the organic, electrochemistry, and polymer communities to design new heterogeneous electrocatalysts for the sustainable synthesis of complex molecules.

Triazine Frameworks for the Photocatalytic Selective Oxidation of Toluene

Investigations into the selective oxidation of inert sp3 C-H bonds using polymer photocatalysts under mild conditions have been limited. Additionally, the structure-activity relationship of photocatalysts often remains insufficiently explored. Here, a series of thiophene-based covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs) are used for the efficient and selective oxidation of hydrocarbons to aldehydes or ketones under ambient aerobic conditions. Spectroscopic methods conducted in situ and density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the sulfur atoms within the thiophene units play a pivotal role as oxidation sites due to the generation of photogenerated holes. The effect of photogenerated holes on photocatalytic toluene oxidation was investigated by varying the length of the spacer in a CTF donor-acceptor based photocatalyst. Furthermore, the manipulation of reactive oxygen species was employed to enhance selectivity by weakening the peroxidative capacity. As an illustrative example, this study successfully demonstrated the synthesis of a precursor of the neurological drug AMG-579 using a photocatalytic protocol.

Truxene-to-Fluorenone Energy Transfer in a Robust Mesoporous Zn-MOF

A new metal-organic framework (MOF; [Zn4O(hett)4/3(fluo)1/2(bdc)1/2]n; TFT-MOF) constructed on chromophoric ligands 5,5',10,10',15,15'-hexaethyltruxene-2,7,12-triacetate (hett), 9-fluorenone-2,7-dicarboxylate (fluo), terephthalate (bdc), and the Zn4O node has been prepared and identified by powder X-ray diffraction. This luminescent MOF exhibits large mesoporous pores of 2.7 nm based on computer modeling using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectra and photophysical parameters of TFT-MOF have been investigated and compared with those of the free ligands and their basic chromophores. All in all, TFT-MOF exhibits particularly efficient singlet-singlet energy-transfer processes described as 1(hett)* → (fluo) and 1(bdc)* → (fluo), leading to fluorescence arising for the fluo lumophore operating only through Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) with an efficiency of transfer of up to >95%. This experimental conclusion was corroborated by DFT and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT). For the 1(hett)* → (fluo) process, the approximated overall rate constant of energy transfer was evaluated to be at most 2.04 × 1010 s-1 (using a Stern-Volmer approach of solution data and the relationship between distance and concentration). This process was analyzed using the Förster theory, where two intrapore energy transfer paths of center-to-center distances of 13 and 25 Å have been identified. TFT-MOF photosensitizes the formation of singlet oxygen (1O2 (1Σg)) as detected by its phosphorescence signal at 1275 nm.

One-Step Electropolymerization of a Dicyanobenzene-Carbazole-Imidazole Dye to Prepare Photoactive Redox Polymer Films

To the best of our knowledge, this study reports the first direct electropolymerization of a dicyanobenzene-carbazole dye functionalized with an imidazole group to prepare redox- and photoactive porous organic polymer (POP) films in controlled amounts. The POP films were grown on indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) and carbon surfaces using a new monomer, 1-imidazole-2,4,6-tri(carbazol-9-yl)-3,5-dicyanobenzene (1, 3CzImIPN), through a simple one-step process. The structure and activities of the POP films were investigated as photoelectrodes for electrooxidations, as heterogeneous photocatalysts for photosynthetic olefin isomerizations, and for solid-state photoluminescence behavior tunable by lithium-ion concentrations in solution. The results demonstrate that the photoredox-POPs can be used as efficient photocatalysts, and they have potential applications in sensing.

Dual Molecular Oxygen Activation Sites on Conjugated Microporous Polymers for Enhanced Photocatalytic Formation of Benzothiazoles

Oxidative formation of high value compounds involving active oxygen species using heterogeneous polymeric photocatalysts has become a useful tool in catalysis. Controlling the interaction between the active sites on polymer photocatalysts and oxygen molecules is still challenging due to the rather large polymer backbone structure. Here, we design a triazine-containing donor acceptor-type conjugated microporous polymer (CMP) containing dual major active sites at F and N atoms for molecular oxygen activation. Introducing fluorine atoms on the CMP backbone led to a combined effect of enhanced adsorption and electron transfer of oxygen. Time-resolved photoluminescence, electronic paramagnetic resonance spectra, and DFT calculation revealed favorable absorption energy and electron transfer kinetics between the CMP and oxygen molecules, thus efficiently generating superoxide radicals (O₂^•-) and singlet oxygen (¹O₂) as main active oxygen species. The photocatalytic activity, selectivity, and reusability of the CMP was demonstrated by the photocatalytic formation of a variety of benzothiazoles.

The effect of N-vacancy on the photocatalytic activity of graphitic carbon nitride in the oxidative Mannich reaction

N-vacancy g-CN was used in Mannich oxidative reaction as a photocatalyst, having mid-gap states that enhance reaction kinetics. This facile photocatalyst enabled successful formation of challenging THIQ with EWG and chemo-selectivity on C–C bond.

Polymerization-Enhanced Photophysical Performances of AIEgens for Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Therapy

AIE polymers have been extensively researched in the fields of OLEDs, sensing, and cancer treatment since its first report in 2003, which have achieved numerous breakthroughs during the years. In comparison with small molecules, it can simultaneously combine the unique advantages of AIE materials and the polymer itself, to further enhance their corresponding photophysical performances. In this review, we enumerate and discuss the common construction strategies of AIE-active polymers and summarize the progress of research on polymerization enhancing luminescence, photosensitization, and room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) with their related applications in chemo/bio-sensing and therapy. To conclude, we also discuss current challenges and prospects of the field for future development.

Visible-Light-Promoted Phosphorylation/Cyclization of 1-Acryloyl-2-cyanoindoles in Green Solvent

A visible-light-induced persulfate-promoted cascade phosphorylation/cyclization reaction to access various phosphorylated pyrrolo[1,2-a]indolediones under mild conditions was developed. Notably, the transformation was carried out with diethyl carbonate/H₂O as a green medium at room temperature. More impressively, traditional metal catalysts and photocatalysts could be effectively avoided. The reactions are simple to operate, easy to scale up, and have good functional group tolerance.

Access to Phosphine-Containing Quinazolinones Enabled by Photo-Induced Radical Phosphorylation/Cyclization of Unactivated Alkenes

A mild and facile photo-induced cascade radical addition/cyclization of unactivated alkenes has been reported, through which a variety of biologically valuable phosphine-containing quinazolinones could be obtained in moderate to good yields. The protocol was characterized by mild conditions, broad substrate scope, and high atomic economy.

Unveiling the Synthetic Potential of 1,3,5-Tri(10H-phenothiazin-10-yl)benzene-Based Optoelectronic Material: A Metal-Free and Recyclable Photocatalyst for Sequential Functionalization of C(sp2)-H Bonds

1,3,5-Tri(10H-phenothiazin-10-yl)benzene (3PTZ) is endowed with unique redox and photoresponsive characteristics and has been utilized as a p-type redox center for organic battery cathode material and a room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) material, respectively. Conversely, its exploration in other research fields, particularly organic synthesis, remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that 3PTZ-POP synthesized via cross-linking of 3PTZ is capable of harvesting visible-light photons and selectively converting solar energy to chemical energy. Specifically, 3PTZ-POP functions as a metal-free and recyclable photocatalyst to promote the sequential C(sp²)-H functionalizations of N-arylacrylamides with readily available trifluoromethylsulfonyl chloride as the radical precursor. An array of 3,3-disubstituted 2-oxindoles bearing a pharmaceutically important CF₃ moiety are delivered in moderate to excellent yields under mild and sustainable conditions.

Visible-Light-Promoted Transition-Metal-Free Construction of 3-Perfluoroalkylated Thioflavones

A visible-light-promoted transition-metal-free perfluoroalkylation/cyclization reaction was developed with 9-mesityl-10-methylacridinium perchlorate (Acr⁺-Mes·ClO₄⁻) as the photocatalyst, by which various perfluoroalkyl-substituted heterocycles including thioflavones, oxindoles, and quinoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones were prepared at room temperature. Moreover, the potential of this sustainable method is demonstrated by the excellent in vitro anti-lymphoma and cervical carcinoma activity of the novel 3-perfluoroalkylated thioflavone 3m.

Oxamic acids: useful precursors of carbamoyl radicals

This review article describes the recent development in the chemistry of carbamoyl radicals generated from oxamic acids. This mild and efficient method compares well with previous methods of generation of these nucleophilic radicals. The oxidative decarboxylation of oxamic acids can be mediated through thermal, photochemical, electrochemical or photoelectrochemical means, generating carbamoyl radicals, which may further add to unsaturated systems to provide a broad range of important amides. Oxidative decarboxylation of oxamic acids also offers a straightforward entry for the preparation of urethanes, ureas, and thioureas.

A Polyniobotungstate-Based Hybrid for Visible-Light-Induced Phosphorylation of N-Aryl-Tetrahydroisoquinoline

A new organic-inorganic hybrid based on a Nb/W mixed-addendum polyoxometalate with the formula H₁₄[(Co(H₂O)₃)₂(C₁₀H₈N₂)₄(P₄W₃₀Nb₆O₁₂₃)]·4(C₁₀H₈N₂)·8H₂O (Co-POM) has been synthesized by the solvothermal method and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), elemental analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, UV-vis absorption spectrum, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Importantly, visible-light-absorption peaks around 525 nm for Co-POM indicated that this material should have potential in visible-light-induced organic reactions. Herein, we disclosed visible-light-promoted phosphorylation of N-aryl-tetrahydroisoquinoline using Co-POM as an efficient heterogeneous photocatalyst. In this procedure, diverse phosphorus reagents are compatible at room temperature and in an O₂ atmosphere, giving the corresponding products in good to excellent yields (up to 97%). Simultaneously, this heterogeneous photocatalyst can be recycled up to ten times with a negligible decrease in yield, showing outstanding sustainability and recyclability.

Development of Anthrazoline Photocatalyst for Promoting Amination and Amidation Reactions

In this work, we report the synthesis, optical and electrochemical properties of a series of organophotocatalysts bearing anthrazoline framework, as well as demonstrate their catalytic competencies in promoting C-N bond...

Metal-free polyporphyrin based photocatalysts for the functionalization of C(sp3)–H bonds in water

Insoluble polyporphyrin or water-dispersible nano-polyporphyrin was used to achieve visible light-induced functionalization of C(sp3)–H bonds in water under mild conditions.

Visible-Light-Driven Photoredox-Catalyzed C(sp3)-C(sp3) Cross-Coupling of N-arylamines with Cycloketone Oxime Esters

A novel photoredox-catalyzed C(sp3)-C(sp3) cross-coupling between N-arylamines and cycloketone oxime esters under mild conditions has been accomplished. The redox-neutral reaction proceeds good functional group tolerance and excellent regioselectivity without any...