2024/12/09 by Elina K. Taskinen, D.M. Kolb, Martin Morgenstern +1 · 1 voice
Chemistry · #Chemical Synthesis and Reactions #Oxidative Organic Chemistry Reactions #Radical Photochemical Reactions
paper · pdf · doi:10.1002/chem.202404200
openalex publication_date 2024/12/09 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/26
Herein, we report a mild photocatalytic redox-neutral dehydration of aryl-1,2-ethanediols forming the respective methyl ketones. In the proposed mechanistic cycle an initial hydrogen atom abstraction (HAT) is followed by a 1,2-spin center shift (SCS) as key steps. Interestingly, Eosin Y was found to act as a pre-catalyst dissociating into a catalytically active mixture under irradiation. To the best of our knowledge, this exemplifies the first synthetic utilization of Eosin Y degradation products. As a result, our reaction can be realized with a single organic photocatalyst and releases water as a sole by-product.