School of Chemistry Colloquium: Professor Kirsten Zeitler Photoredox Catalytic Strategies for the Activation of Strong Bonds

Over the past decade, photocatalysis has become a powerful synthetic tool, offering novel reaction pathways that were previously inaccessible by other methods.

Our research group develops photocatalytic approaches to the activation of relatively strong bonds (including C-O[1] or C-C bonds), aiming at novel C-C bond forming reactions using such “alternative” substrates as versatile coupling partners. The challenging implementation of such less activated precursors in straightforward synthetic transformations provides an opportunity for greater structural diversity, broad applicability and access to less explored chemical space.

To this end, part of our current strategy is the design and integration of multicatalytic approaches,[2] including the simultaneous activation of complementary reaction partners. In addition, since high redox potentials are one of the typical challenges inherent to the activation of stronger bonds, we have recently developed a series of powerful purely organic dyes as broadly applicable photocatalysts.[3]

In this talk, our most recent progress as well as the scope and limitations of these strategies will be described.
References:

1. E. Speckmeier, P. J. W. Fuchs, K. Zeitler, Chem. Sci. 2018, 9, 7096.
2. K. Zeitler, M. Neumann, Phys. Sci. Rev. 2020, 5, 20170173.
3. E. Speckmeier, T. G. Fischer, K. Zeitler, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 15353.