A BOIMPY dye enables multi‐photoinduced electron transfer catalysis: reaching super‐reducing properties

Abstract: An established concept to create radical intermediates is photoexcitation of a catalyst to a higher energy intermediate, subsequently leading to a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) with a reaction partner. The known concept of consecutive photoinduced electron transfer (con-PET) leads to catalytically active species even higher in energy by the uptake of two photons. Generally speaking, increased photon uptake leads to a more potent reductant. Here, we report the concept of multi-photoinduced electron transfer catalysis (>2 photons), termed multi-PET, which is enabled by photoinduced one-electron reductions of an organic dye. Further irradiation of the doubly reduced species leads to a photoexcited dianionic super-reductant, which is more potent than Li metal – one of the strongest chemical reductants known. This multi-photon process which is enabled by 390 nm LEDs allows the cleavage of strong carbon-fluorine bonds and reduction of other halides even in very electron-rich substrates. The resulting radicals are quenched by hydrogen atoms or engaged in carbon-carbon and carbon-phosphorus bond formations, highlighting the utility of multi-PET for organic chemistry. In addition, multi-PET enabled Birch-type reductions. Spectroscopic, chemical and computational investigations are presented to gain mechanistic insights

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Angewandte Chemie. International edition. - 64, 5 (2025) , e202416472, ISSN: 1521-3773

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Freiburg
• (who): Universität
• (when): 2025
• Creator: Biswas, Amit ; Kolb, Simon ; Röttger, Sebastian H. ; Das, Arpan ; Patalag, Lukas J. ; Dey, Partha P. ; Sil, Swagata ; Maji, Subir ; Chakraborty, Soumi ; Wenger, Oliver S. ; Bhunia, Anup ; Werz, Daniel B. ; Mandal, Swadhin K.

Further information

• DOI: 10.1002/anie.202416472
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:25-freidok-2624370
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:27 AM CEST