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Sunlight‐Driven Copper‐Catalyst Activation Applied to Photolatent Click Chemistry
Author(s) -
Beniazza Rédouane,
Lambert Romain,
Harmand Lydie,
Molton Florian,
Duboc Carole,
Denisov Sergey,
Jonusauskas Gedeminas,
McClenaghan Nathan D.,
Lastécouères Dominique,
Vincent JeanMarc
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201404056
Subject(s) - copper , benzophenone , chemistry , catalysis , photochemistry , quantum yield , cycloaddition , deoxygenation , azide , organic chemistry , fluorescence , physics , quantum mechanics
The synthesis, full characterization, photoreduction properties, and catalytic activity for the copper(I)‐catalyzed alkyne‐azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction of a copper(II)–DMEDA ( N , N ′‐dimethylethylendiamine) complex is reported. Spectroscopic studies (UV/Vis, EPR) demonstrated that under daylight illumination highly effective copper(II) to copper(I) reduction occurs in this complex. These findings are in agreement with a high photoreduction quantum yield value of 0.22 in MeOH, and a value approaching unity as determined in THF. The reduction process, which can also be conducted by irradiation at 365 nm by using a standard TLC (thin layer chromatography) lamp, is ascribed to a highly efficient photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process mediated by the benzophenone photosensitizer present in the carboxylate counterion. Having deaerated the reaction mixture, the photogenerated copper(I) species proved to be highly active for the CuAAC reaction, demonstrated by reactions conducted with low catalyst loading (0.5 mol %) on a range of clickable protected and non‐protected mono‐ and disaccharides. Once initiated, the reaction can be stopped at any time on introducing air into the reaction medium. Deoxygenation followed by irradiation restores the activity, making the copper(II)–DMEDA complex a switchable catalyst of practical value.