Physics

Electron

Organic chemistry

Combinatorial chemistry

Photoredox catalysis

Photocatalysis

Radiolysis

Decomposition

Engineering

Catalysis

Aqueous solution

Chemistry

Degradation (telecommunications)

Ammonium

Computer science

Quantum mechanics

Solvated electron

Chemical engineering

Catalytic cycle

Photochemistry

Telecommunications

Journal of the American Chemical Society

The hydrated electron is experiencing a renaissance as a superreductant in lab-scale reductions driven by light, both for the degradation of recalcitrant pollutants and for challenging chemical reactions. However, examples for its sustainable generation under mild conditions are scarce. By combining a water-soluble Ir catalyst with unique photochemical properties and an inexpensive diode laser as light source, we produce hydrated electrons through a two-photon mechanism previously thought to be unimportant for laboratory applications. Adding cheap sacrificial donors turns our new hydrated electron source into a catalytic cycle operating in pure water over a wide pH range. Not only is that catalytic system capable of detoxifying a chlorinated model compound with turnover numbers of up to 200, but it can also be employed for two novel hydrated electron reactions, namely, the decomposition of quaternary ammonium compounds and the conversion of trifluoromethyl to difluoromethyl groups.

Unexpected Hydrated Electron Source for Preparative Visible-Light Driven Photoredox Catalysis