Selenium Photo-π-Acid Catalysis (B04)

• Subject Area: Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 444632635

The proposed research aims to harness the unique chemical behavior of selenium-centered, spin-correlated radical pair assemblies to generate potent photo-π-acid catalysts for the chemoselective redox functionalization of apolar alkenes. The fundamental mechanistic principle, around which the proposed work revolves, is the formation of catalytically active ion pairs from geminal radical pairs through a thermophotonically or photothermally stimulated doublet-doublet electron transfer (i.e., tp-or pt-SDET). The SDET occurs on a picosecond time scale, rendering the subsequent chemistry of the incipient photo-π-acid catalysts insensitive to undesired, diffusion-controlled side reactions.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 325: Assembly Controlled Chemical Photocatalysis
• Applicant Institution: Universität Regensburg
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Alexander Breder