A Triphenylamine‐Integrated Cu(I) Cyclic Trinuclear Complex for Solar‐Driven Cross‐Dehydrogenative Coupling

Comprehensive Summary Meeting the growing demand for clean and sustainable energy requires the development of efficient light‐driven catalytic technologies capable of converting solar energy into chemical value. Photocatalysis represents a particularly attractive strategy. However, the rational design of photocatalysts that combine cost‐effectiveness, long‐term stability, and high activity remains a major challenge. Many existing systems suffer from limited visible‐light absorption or inefficient separation of photoinduced charges, which restricts their practical applicability. In this work, we reported an integrated catalytic system (complex 1 ) in which a novel triphenylamine (TPA) group was introduced into a copper‐based cyclic trinuclear complex (CTC). The introduction of the strong electron‐donating TPA unit markedly enhanced visible‐light absorption and promoted efficient charge separation within this collaborative system. These features lead to a stable photocurrent response and reduced electrochemical impedance, indicating improved charge transport and suppressed recombination. As a heterogeneous photocatalyst, complex 1 exhibits exceptional performance in cross‐dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) amination reactions between the phenol derivatives and phenothiazine derivatives. These reactions proceeded under mild reaction conditions, using natural light irradiation without the need for strong base and high temperature. The catalyst 1 showed broad applicability, delivering consistently high yields (up to 97%) across more than twenty different substrates. In addition to its high activity, complex 1 exhibits good recyclability and durability, retaining its catalytic activity and structural integrity over at least five cycles. Mechanistic investigations reveal that, under light irradiation, complex 1 efficiently generates superoxide radical anion. These reactive species play a crucial role in activating the reactants to form key radical intermediates, which subsequently couple to afford the desired amination products. Overall, this work demonstrates that integrating a photoactive organic unit into a copper‐based framework is an effective strategy for creating durable and efficient photocatalysts, highlighting the promise of TPA‐modified copper complexes for sustainable, solar‐driven organic transformations.

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Publication Details

Journal
Chinese Journal of Chemistry
Published
2026-01-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/cjoc.70451
Primary Topic
Radical Photochemical Reactions
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

A Triphenylamine‐Integrated Cu(I) Cyclic Trinuclear Complex for Solar‐Driven Cross‐Dehydrogenative Coupling

Mo Xie, Yu‐Mei Wang, Dan Li, Jin‐Feng Liang et al.
Chinese Journal of Chemistry
Radical Photochemical Reactions
article

A Triphenylamine‐Integrated Cu(I) Cyclic Trinuclear Complex for Solar‐Driven Cross‐Dehydrogenative Coupling

Mo Xie, Yu‐Mei Wang, Dan Li, Jin‐Feng Liang, Shu‐Hua Zhong, Yan Wu, Jia‐Yu Liang, Guo‐Hong Ning
article en

Abstract

Comprehensive Summary Meeting the growing demand for clean and sustainable energy requires the development of efficient light‐driven catalytic technologies capable of converting solar energy into chemical value. Photocatalysis represents a particularly attractive strategy. However, the rational design of photocatalysts that combine cost‐effectiveness, long‐term stability, and high activity remains a major challenge. Many existing systems suffer from limited visible‐light absorption or inefficient separation of photoinduced charges, which restricts their practical applicability. In this work, we reported an integrated catalytic system (complex 1 ) in which a novel triphenylamine (TPA) group was introduced into a copper‐based cyclic trinuclear complex (CTC). The introduction of the strong electron‐donating TPA unit markedly enhanced visible‐light absorption and promoted efficient charge separation within this collaborative system. These features lead to a stable photocurrent response and reduced electrochemical impedance, indicating improved charge transport and suppressed recombination. As a heterogeneous photocatalyst, complex 1 exhibits exceptional performance in cross‐dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) amination reactions between the phenol derivatives and phenothiazine derivatives. These reactions proceeded under mild reaction conditions, using natural light irradiation without the need for strong base and high temperature. The catalyst 1 showed broad applicability, delivering consistently high yields (up to 97%) across more than twenty different substrates. In addition to its high activity, complex 1 exhibits good recyclability and durability, retaining its catalytic activity and structural integrity over at least five cycles. Mechanistic investigations reveal that, under light irradiation, complex 1 efficiently generates superoxide radical anion. These reactive species play a crucial role in activating the reactants to form key radical intermediates, which subsequently couple to afford the desired amination products. Overall, this work demonstrates that integrating a photoactive organic unit into a copper‐based framework is an effective strategy for creating durable and efficient photocatalysts, highlighting the promise of TPA‐modified copper complexes for sustainable, solar‐driven organic transformations.

Chinese Journal of ChemistryVol. 44(8)
Jinan University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Project, Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province
Openalex Percentile: Top 90%
Radical Photochemical Reactions
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