Bridging Amines with CO2: Organocatalyzed Reduction of CO2 to Aminals

Four-electron reduction of CO2: from formaldehyde and acetal synthesis to complex transformations

The expansive and dynamic field of the CO2 Reduction Reaction (CO2RR) seeks to harness CO2 as a sustainable carbon source or energy carrier. While significant progress has been made in two, six, and eight-electron reductions of CO2, the four-electron reduction remains understudied. This review fills this gap, comprehensively exploring CO2 reduction into formaldehyde (HCHO) or acetal-type compounds (EOCH2OE, with E = [Si], [B], [Zr], [U], [Y], [Nb], [Ta] or -R) using various CO2RR systems. These encompass (photo)electro-, bio-, and thermal reduction processes with diverse reductants. Formaldehyde, a versatile C1 product, is challenging to synthesize and isolate from the CO2RR. The review also discusses acetal compounds, emphasizing their significance as pathways to formaldehyde with distinct reactivity. Providing an overview of the state of four-electron CO2 reduction, this review highlights achievements, challenges, and the potential of the produced compounds - formaldehyde and acetals - as sustainable sources for valuable product synthesis, including chiral compounds.

DFT Study of Functional Reduction of CO2 with BH3NMe3: The Real Role of Organic Catalyst TBD

The detailed mechanism of transition metal-free-catalyzed monomethylation of 2-naphthyl acetonitrile (1a) with CO2 in the presence of triazabicyclodecene (TBD) and BH3NMe3 was investigated using density functional theory. The C-methylation process proved to generate formaldehyde followed by the formation of the product via an alcohol rather than a methoxyborane intermediate. During the reaction, CO2 is activated to form the TBD-CO2 adduct and BH3NMe3 is changed into TBD-BH2 (IM2) in the presence of TBD. IM2 plays a real reducing role within the system due to the unique coordination capability of the B atom. In addition to enhancing the nucleophilicity of 1a through deprotonation by tBuOK, our research also indicates that the generated tBuOH not only assists in proton transfer to generate an alcohol intermediate but also promotes the regeneration of TBD.

Cu-catalyzed carboxylation of organoboronic acid pinacol esters with CO2

Chemical fixation of CO2 has received much attention. In particular, catalytic C-C bond formation with CO2 giving carboxylic acids is of great significance. Among the CO2 fixation methods, multiple carboxylation is one of the challenging subjects. Here we investigated the Cu-catalyzed carboxylation of a variety of boronic acid pinacol esters (C(sp2)-, C(sp3)-, and C(sp)-B compounds) with CO2, which efficiently provided the corresponding products, including aryl, alkenyl, alkyl, and alkynyl carboxylic acids. This carboxylation was also applicable to multiple CO2 fixation giving di- and tri-carboxylic acids under robust reaction conditions (totally 29 examples).

Reductive Coupling of Nitroarenes and HCHO for General Synthesis of Functional Ethane-1,2-diamines by a Cobalt Single-Atom Catalyst

Despite the extensive applications, selective and diverse access to N,N'-diarylethane-1,2-diamines remains, to date, a challenge. Here, by developing a bifunctional cobalt single-atom catalyst (CoSA-N/NC), we present a general method for direct synthesis of such compounds via selective reductive coupling of cheap and abundant nitroarenes and formaldehyde, featuring good substrate and functionality compatibility, an easily accessible base metal catalyst with excellent reusability, and high step and atom efficiency. Mechanistic studies reveal that the N-anchored cobalt single atoms (CoN4) serve as the catalytically active sites for the reduction processes, the N-doped carbon support enriches the HCHO to timely trap the in situ formed hydroxyamines and affords the requisite nitrones under weak alkaline conditions, and the subsequent inverse electron demand 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of the nitrones and imines followed by hydrodeoxygenation of the cycloadducts furnishes the products. In this work, the concept of catalyst-controlled nitroarene reduction to in situ create specific building blocks is anticipated to develop more useful chemical transformations.

Bicyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (BICAAC) in a dual role: activation of primary amides and CO2 towards catalytic N-methylation

Herein, we report the first catalytic methylation of primary amides using CO₂ as a C1 source. A bicyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (BICAAC) exhibits dual role by activating both primary amide and CO₂ to carry out this catalytic transformation which enables the formation of a new C-N bond in the presence of pinacolborane. This protocol was applicable to a wide range of substrate scopes, including aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic amides. We successfully used this procedure in the diversification of drug and bioactive molecules. Moreover, this method was explored for isotope labelling using ¹³CO₂ for a few biologically important molecules. A detailed study of the mechanism was carried out with the help of spectroscopic studies and DFT calculations.

Aminoguanidine-Catalyzed Reductive Cyclization of o-Phenylenediamines with CO2 in the Presence of Triethoxysilane

An inexpensive and efficient aminoguanidine-catalyzed reductive cyclization of o-phenylenediamines with CO₂ in the presence of triethoxysilane is described. Various functionalized benzimidazoles, benzoxazole, and benzothiazole were synthesized in high yields. Mechanistic studies indicate that formic acid as a cocatalyst promotes the cyclization reaction.

One-Pot Synthesis of Dihydropyrans via CO2 Reduction and Domino Knoevenagel/oxa-Diels-Alder Reactions

Catalytic CO₂ reduction with phenylsilane under solvent-free conditions was linked with the one-pot synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrans from β-dicarbonyl compounds and styrenes. The synthesis includes three processes: (1) bis(silyl)acetal formation from CO₂ and phenylsilane and a domino reaction of (2) Knoevenagel condensation and (3) inverse-electron-demand oxa-Diels-Alder reaction. The first process was catalyzed by a pentanuclear Zn^II complex (0.07 mol %) to generate bis(silyl)acetals, which were hydrolyzed into formaldehyde to be used in the second step.

Novel MCM-41 Supported Dicationic Imidazolium Ionic Liquids Catalyzed Greener and Efficient Regioselective Synthesis of 2-Oxazolidinones from Aziridines and Carbon Dioxide

A type of MCM-41 supported dicationic imidazolium ionic liquid nanocatalyst has been synthesized and found to be competent for the synthesis of 2-oxazolidinones through the sustainable chemical conversion of CO2 with aziridines. It was shown that the highest efficiency was achieved in the cycloaddition of a series of aziridines and CO2 in the presence of a catalytic amount of the solid catalyst MCM-41@ILLaCl4 under mild conditions. Merits of this meticulously designed protocol are the use of a novel supported ionic liquid catalyst, the easy work-up process, good to excellent yields, a short reaction time, and purification without column chromatography. Overall, the present protocol of synthesizing 2-oxazolidinones under cocatalyst- and solvent-free conditions using MCM-41@ILLaCl4 is promising for industrial applications.

Mesoionic N-Heterocyclic Imines as Super Nucleophiles in Catalytic Couplings of Amides with CO2

An extended class of stable mesoionic N-heterocyclic imines (mNHIs), containing a highly polarized exocyclic imine moiety, were synthesized. The calculated proton affinities (PA) and experimentally determined Tolman electronic parameters (TEPs) reveal that these synthesized mNHIs have the highest basicity and donor ability among NHIs reported so far. The superior nucleophilicity of newly designed mNHIs was utilized in devising a strategy to incorporate CO₂ as a bridging unit under reductive conditions to couple inert primary amides. This strategy was further extended to hetero-couplings between amide and amine using CO₂ . These hitherto unknown catalytic transformations were introduced in the diversification of various biologically active drug molecules under metal-free conditions. The underlying mechanism was explored by performing a series of control experiments, characterizing key intermediates using spectroscopic and crystallographic techniques.

Challenges and Prospects in the Catalytic Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is a crucial C1 building block for daily-life commodities in a wide range of industrial processes. Industrial production of HCHO today is based on energy- and cost-intensive gas-phase catalytic oxidation of methanol, which calls for exploring other and more sustainable ways of carrying out this process. Utilization of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) as precursor presents a promising strategy to simultaneously mitigate the carbon footprint and alleviate environmental issues. This Minireview summarizes recent progress in CO2 -to-HCHO conversion using hydrogenation, hydroboration/hydrosilylation as well as photochemical, electrochemical, photoelectrochemical, and enzymatic approaches. The active species, reaction intermediates, and mechanistic pathways are discussed to deepen the understanding of HCHO selectivity issues. Finally, shortcomings and prospects of the various strategies for sustainable reduction of CO2 to HCHO are discussed.

Controllable methylenation with ethylene glycol as the methylene source: bridging enaminones and synthesis of tetrahydropyrimidines

Controllable methylenation using renewable ethylene glycol as the methylene source has been developed for the introduction of one or two methylene building blocks.

Rational Design of Simple Organocatalysts for the HSiCl3 Enantioselective Reduction of (E)-N-(1-Phenylethylidene)aniline

Prolinamides are well-known organocatalysts for the HSiCl3 reduction of imines; however, custom design of catalysts is based on trial-and-error experiments. In this work, we have used a combination of computational calculations and experimental work, including kinetic analyses, to properly understand this process and to design optimized catalysts for the benchmark (E)-N-(1-phenylethylidene)aniline. The best results have been obtained with the amide derived from 4-methoxyaniline and the N-pivaloyl protected proline, for which the catalyzed process is almost 600 times faster than the uncatalyzed one. Mechanistic studies reveal that the formation of the component supramolecular complex catalyst-HSiCl3-substrate, involving hydrogen bonding breaking and costly conformational changes in the prolinamide, is an important step in the overall process.

Enantioselective Reductive Oligomerization of Carbon Dioxide into l-Erythrulose via a Chemoenzymatic Catalysis

A cell-free enantioselective transformation of the carbon atom of CO₂ has never been reported. In the urgent context of transforming CO₂ into products of high value, the enantiocontrolled synthesis of chiral compounds from CO₂ would be highly desirable. Using an original hybrid chemoenzymatic catalytic process, we report herein the reductive oligomerization of CO₂ into C₃ (dihydroxyacetone, DHA) and C₄ (l-erythrulose) carbohydrates, with perfect enantioselectivity of the latter chiral product. This was achieved with the key intermediacy of formaldehyde. CO₂ is first reduced selectively by 4e^- by an iron-catalyzed hydroboration reaction, leading to the isolation and complete characterization of a new bis(boryl)acetal compound derived from dimesitylborane. In an aqueous buffer solution at 30 °C, this compound readily releases formaldehyde, which is then involved in selective enzymatic transformations, giving rise either (i) to DHA using a formolase (FLS) catalysis or (ii) to l-erythrulose with a cascade reaction combining FLS and d-fructose-6-phosphate aldolase (FSA) A129S variant. Finally, the nature of the synthesized products is noteworthy, since carbohydrates are of high interest for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The present results prove that the cell-free de novo synthesis of carbohydrates from CO₂ as a sustainable carbon source is a possible alternative pathway in addition to the intensely studied biomass extraction and de novo syntheses from fossil resources.

Silicon compounds in carbon-11 radiochemistry: present use and future perspectives

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a powerful functional imaging technique that requires the use of positron emitting nuclides. Carbon-11 (¹¹C) radionuclide has several advantages related to the ubiquity of carbon atoms in biomolecules and the conservation of pharmacological properties of the molecule upon isotopic exchange of carbon-12 with carbon-11. However, due to the short half-life of ¹¹C (20.4 minutes) and the low scale with which it is produced by the cyclotron (sub-nanomolar concentrations), quick, robust and chemospecific radiolabelling strategies are required to minimise activity loss during incorporation of the ¹¹C nuclide into the final product. To address some of the constraints of working with ¹¹C, the use of silicon-based chemistry for ¹¹C-labelling was proposed as a rapid and effective route for radiopharmaceutical production due to the broad applicability and high efficiency showed in organic chemistry. In the past years several organic chemistry methodologies have been successfully applied to ¹¹C-chemistry. In this short review, we examine silicon-based ¹¹C-chemistry, with a particular emphasis on the radiotracers that have been successfully produced and potential improvements to further expand the applicability of silicon in radiochemistry.

The use of silicon-based reagents and precursors for carbon-11 labelling has shown wide applicability and robustness with short reaction times using mild conditions. In this review, recent advances and future perspectives are examined.

Partnering a Three-Coordinate Gallium Cation with a Hydroborate Counter-Ion for the Catalytic Hydrosilylation of CO2

A novel β-diketiminate stabilized gallium hydride, (^Dipp L)Ga(Ad)H (where (^Dipp L)={HC(MeCDippN)₂ }, Dipp=2,6-diisopropylphenyl and Ad=1-adamantyl), has been synthesized and shown to undergo insertion of carbon dioxide into the Ga-H bond under mild conditions. In this case, treatment of the resulting κ¹ -formate complex with triethylsilane does not lead to regeneration of the hydride precursor. However, when combined with B(C₆ F₅ )₃ , (^Dipp L)Ga(Ad)H catalyses the reductive hydrosilylation of CO₂ . Under stoichiometric conditions, the addition of one equivalent of B(C₆ F₅ )₃ to (^Dipp L)Ga(Ad)H leads to the formation of a 3-coordinate cationic gallane complex, partnered with a hydroborate anion, [(^Dipp L)Ga(Ad)][HB(C₆ F₅ )₃ ]. This complex rapidly hydrometallates carbon dioxide and catalyses the selective reduction of CO₂ to the formaldehyde oxidation level at 60 °C in the presence of Et₃ SiH (yielding H₂ C(OSiEt₃ )₂ ). When catalysis is undertaken in the presence of excess B(C₆ F₅ )₃ , appreciable enhancement of activity is observed, with a corresponding reduction in selectivity: the product distribution includes H₂ C(OSiEt₃ )₂ , CH₄ and O(SiEt₃ )₂ . While this system represents proof-of-concept in CO₂ hydrosilylation by a gallium hydride system, the TOF values obtained are relatively modest (max. 10 h^-1 ). This is attributed to the strength of binding of the formatoborate anion to the gallium centre in the catalytic intermediate (^Dipp L)Ga(Ad){OC(H)OB(C₆ F₅ )₃ }, and the correspondingly slow rate of the turnover-limiting hydrosilylation step. In turn, this strength of binding can be related to the relatively high Lewis acidity measured for the [(^Dipp L)Ga(Ad)]⁺ cation (AN=69.8).

Carbon dioxide based methodologies for the synthesis of fine chemicals

Rapid environmental changes triggered by the increase in the concentration of heat-absorbing gases such as CO2 in the atmosphere have become a major cause of concern. One of the ways to counter this growing threat will be to efficiently convert atmospheric CO2 into value-added products via the development of efficient transition-metal-catalyzed processes. Conversion of CO2 into bulk products such as CH3OH and methane as well as its incorporation into commercial polyurethane synthesis has been achieved and reviewed extensively. However, the efficient transformation of CO2 into fine chemicals and value-added chemicals has many fold advantages. Recent years have seen a rapid rise in the number of metal-mediated protocols to achieve this goal of converting CO2 into fine chemicals. These are essential developments given the requirement of several commodities and fine chemicals in various industrial processes and the utilization of atmospheric CO2 will help provide a sustainable solution to the current environmental problems. Accordingly, we present here a comprehensive compilation of catalytic processes, involving CO2 as the C1 source for reacting with substrates such as alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, amines, acid chlorides, alcohols, allyl boronates, alkenyl triflates, and many others to provide easy access to a wide variety of useful molecules. Such a technology would certainly prove to be beneficial in solving the problems associated with the environmental accumulation of CO2.

C-Methylenation of anilines and indoles with CO2 and hydrosilane using a pentanuclear zinc complex catalyst

The one-step C-methylenation of anilines and indoles with CO2 and phenylsilane was catalyzed by a pentanuclear ZnII complex to give diarylmethanes via geminal C-H and C-C bond formation. It is proposed that the zinc-hydride complex generated in situ is a catalytically active species and that bis(silyl)acetal is a key intermediate. When aniline was used as a substrate, both the C-methylenation and N-methylation proceeded.

Organic synthesis of fixed CO2 using nitrogen as a nucleophilic center

In this review, recent progress in the application of CO2 as an electrophilic reagent and nitrogen as a nucleophilic center under different catalytic conditions in organic synthesis is summarized. The used catalytic methods in the reactions of CO2 and nitrogen are classified as metal catalysis, metal-free catalysis, photocatalysis and electrocatalysis. Various catalytic conditions have been used to solve the problems of thermodynamic properties and stability of CO2. The transformation mechanisms of these reactions are discussed.

From CO2 activation to catalytic reduction: a metal-free approach

Over exploitation of natural resources and human activities are relentlessly fueling the emission of CO2 in the atmosphere. Accordingly, continuous efforts are required to find solutions to address the issue of excessive CO2 emission and its potential effects on climate change. It is imperative that the world looks towards a portfolio of carbon mitigation solutions, rather than a single strategy. In this regard, the use of CO2 as a C1 source is an attractive strategy as CO2 has the potential to be a great asset for the industrial sector and consumers across the globe. In particular, the reduction of CO2 offers an alternative to fossil fuels for various organic industrial feedstocks and fuels. Consequently, efficient and scalable approaches for the reduction of CO2 to products such as methane and methanol can generate value from its emissions. Accordingly, in recent years, metal-free catalysis has emerged as a sustainable approach because of the mild reaction conditions by which CO2 can be reduced to various value-added products. The metal-free catalytic reduction of CO2 offers the development of chemical processes with low cost, earth-abundant, non-toxic reagents, and low carbon-footprint. Thus, this perspective aims to present the developments in both the reduction and reductive functionalization chemistry of CO2 during the last decade using various metal-free catalysts.

Synthesis of silyl formates, formamides, and aldehydes via solvent-free organocatalytic hydrosilylation of CO2

Carbon dioxide (CO2) was used as a C1 source to prepare silyl formates, formamides, and aldehydes. Tetrabutylammonium acetate (TBAA) catalyzed the solvent-free N-formylation of amines with CO2 and hydrosilane to give formamides including Weinreb formamide, Me(MeO)NCHO, which was successively converted into aldehydes by one-pot reactions with Grignard reagents.

Synthesis of fused-tetrahydropyrimidines: one-pot methylenation–cyclization utilizing two molecules of CO2

A methylenation–cyclization reaction employing cyclic enaminones with primary aromatic amines and two molecules of CO₂ to furnish fused-tetrahydropyrimidines has been developed.

Catalytic CO2 Reduction with Boron- and Aluminum Hydrides

The previously reported dimeric NHI aluminum dihydrides 1 a,b, as well as the bis(NHI) aluminum dihydride salt 9 +[OTs]-, the bis(NHI) boron dihydride salt 10 +[OTs]-, and the "free" bis(NHI) ligand 12 were investigated with regard to their activity as a homogenous (pre)catalyst in the hydroboration (i. e. catalytic reduction) of carbon dioxide (CO2) in chloroform under mild conditions (i. e. room temperature, 1 atm; NHI=N-heterocyclic imine, Ts=tosyl). Borane dimethylsulfide complex and catecholborane were used as a hydride source. Surprisingly, the less sterically hindered 1 a exhibited lower catalytic activity than the bulkier 1 b. A similarly unexpected discrepancy was found with the lower catalytic activity of 10 + in comparison to the one of the bis(NHI) 12. The latter is incorporated as the ligand to the boron center in 10 +. To elucidate possible mechanisms for CO2 reduction the compounds were subjected to stoichiometric reactivity studies with the borane or CO2. Aluminum carboxylates 4, 6, and 7 + with two, four, and one formate group per two aluminum centers were isolated. Also, the boron formate salt 11 +[OTs]- was characterized. Selected metal formates were subjected to stoichiometric reactions with boranes and/or tested as a catalyst. We conclude that each type of catalyst (1 a,b, 9 +, 10 +, 12) follows an individual mechanistic pathway for CO2 reduction.

Pivotal Role of the Basic Character of Organic and Salt Catalysts in C-N Bond Forming Reactions of Amines with CO2

Organocatalysts promote a range of C-N bond forming reactions of amines with CO₂ . Herein, we review these reactions and attempt to identify the unifying features of the catalysts that allows them to promote a multitude of seemingly unrelated reactions. Analysis of the literature shows that these reactions predominantly proceed by carbamate salt formation in the form [BaseH][RR'NCOO]. The anion of the carbamate salt acts as a nucleophile in hydrosilane reductions of CO₂ , internal cyclization reactions or after dehydration as an electrophile in the synthesis of urea derivatives. The reactions are enhanced by polar aprotic solvents and can be either promoted or hindered by H-bonding interactions. The predominant role of all types of organic and salt catalysts (including ionic liquids, ILs) is the stabilization of the carbamate salt, mostly by acting as a base. Catalytic enhancement depends on the combination of the amine, the base strength, the solvent, steric factors, ion pairing and H-bonding. A linear relationship between the base strength and the reaction yield has been demonstrated with IL catalysts in the synthesis of formamides and quinazoline-2,4-diones. The role of organocatalysts in the reactions indicates that all bases of sufficient strength should be able to catalyze the reactions. However, a physical limit to the extent of a purely base catalyzed reaction mechanism should exist, which needs to be identified, understood and overcome by synergistic or alternative methods.

Molecular Catalysis for Utilizing CO2 in Fuel Electro-Generation and in Chemical Feedstock

Processes for the conversion of CO2 to valuable chemicals are highly desired as a result of the increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere and the subsequent elevating global temperature. However, CO2 is thermodynamically and kinetically inert to transformation and, therefore, many efforts were made in the last few decades. Reformation/hydrogenation of CO2 is widely used as a means to access valuable products such as acetic acids, CH4, CH3OH, and CO. The electrochemical reduction of CO2 using hetero- and homogeneous catalysts recently attracted much attention. In particular, molecular CO2 reduction catalysts were widely studied using transition-metal complexes modified with various ligands to understand the relationship between various catalytic properties and the coordination spheres above the metal centers. Concurrently, the coupling of CO2 with various electrophiles under homogeneous conditions is also considered an important approach for recycling CO2 as a renewable C-1 substrate in the chemical industry. This review summarizes some recent advances in the conversion of CO2 into valuable chemicals with particular focus on the metal-catalyzed reductive conversion and functionalization of CO2.

Catalytic Conversion of Carbon Dioxide through C-N Bond Formation

From the viewpoint of green chemistry and sustainable development, it is of great significance to synthesize chemicals from CO₂ as C₁ source through C-N bond formation. During the past several decade years, many studies on C-N bond formation reaction were involved, and many efforts have been made on the theory. Nevertheless, several great challenges such as thermodynamic limitation, low catalytic efficiency and selectivity, and high pressure etc. are still suffered. Herein, recent advances are highlighted on the development of catalytic methods for chemical fixation of CO₂ to various chemicals through C-N bond formation. Meanwhile, the catalytic systems (metal and metal-free catalysis), strategies and catalytic mechanism are summarized and discussed in detail. Besides, this review also covers some novel synthetic strategies to urethanes based on amines and CO₂. Finally, the regulatory strategies on functionalization of CO₂ for N-methylation/N-formylation of amines with phenylsilane and heterogeneous catalysis N-methylation of amines with CO₂ and H₂ are emphasized.

Recent advances in nucleophile-triggered CO2-incorporated cyclization leading to heterocycles

CO₂, as a sustainable, feasible, abundant one-carbon synthon, has been utilized in carboxylative cyclization, carbonylative cyclization, and reductive cyclization.

Zwitterionic Covalent Organic Frameworks as Catalysts for Hierarchical Reduction of CO2 with Amine and Hydrosilane

Controllable hierarchical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to selectively afford versatile chemicals with specific carbon oxidation state is important but still remains a huge challenge to be realized. Here, we report new zwitterionic covalent organic frameworks ([BE] _X%-TD-COFs), prepared by introducing betaine groups (BE) onto the channel walls of presynthesized frameworks via pore surface engineering methodology, as the heterogeneous organocatalysts for CO₂ reduction. The adjustable density of immobilized BE groups as well as good preservation of crystallinity and porosity inherited from their parent COFs endow [BE] _X%-TD-COFs with highly ordered catalytic site distribution and one-dimensional mass transport pathway in favor of catalysis. By controlling the reaction temperature and amount of CO₂, [BE] _X%-TD-COFs present high activity in catalyzing reduction of CO₂ with amine and phenylsilane (PhSiH₃) to produce formamides, aminals, and methylamines, respectively, with high yield and selectivity. Furthermore, high stability and insolubility bring excellent reusability to [BE]_X%-TD-COFs with well-maintained catalytic performance after four cycles of use. Notably, this is a novel example that COFs are developed as heterogeneous catalysts for hierarchical two-, four-, and six-electron reduction of CO₂ with amines and PhSiH₃ to form C-N bonds as well as afford C^+II, C⁰, and C^-II species efficiently and selectively.