Scalable decarboxylative trifluoromethylation by ion-shielding heterogeneous photoelectrocatalysis

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Chen, Yixin; He, Yuchen; Gao, Yong; Xue, Jiakun; Qu, Wei; Xuan, Jun; Mo, Yiming
• 署名单位: Zhejiang University; Zhejiang University; Zhejiang University
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-11209
• DOI: 10.1126/science.adm8902
• 发表日期: 2024-05-10
• 页码: 670-676
• 关键词: c-h trifluoromethylation; organic-molecules; electron-transfer; perfluoroalkylation; catalysis; arenes; water; electrochemistry; heteroarenes; alkylation

摘要

Electrochemistry offers a sustainable synthesis route to value-added fine chemicals but is often constrained by competing electron transfer between the electrode and redox-sensitive functionalities distinct from the target site. Here, we describe an ion-shielding heterogeneous photoelectrocatalysis strategy to impose mass-transfer limitations that invert the thermodynamically determined order of electron transfer. This strategy is showcased to enable decarboxylative trifluoromethylation of sensitive (hetero)arenes by using trifluoroacetate, an inexpensive yet relatively inert trifluoromethyl group (CF3) source. An ion-shielding layer, formed by trifluoroacetate anions electrostatically adsorbed on a positive molybdenum-doped tungsten trioxide (WO3) photoanode, prevents undesired electron transfer between substrates and photogenerated holes. The practicality of the developed method was demonstrated with robust photoanode stability (approximately 380 hours), a good substrate scope, and scaling capability to achieve 100-gram synthesis by using photoelectrochemical flow cells.