Semiconductor Cluster with High Reduction Potential and Efficient Charge Transfer Enables Visible‐Light‐Driven Activation of Inert Organic Substrates

H Hao Ma (National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory) C Cheng‐Kun Han (State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou 510632 China) J Jia‐Xing Liu (State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou 510632 China) Y Yi‐Lei Xu (State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou 510632 China) C Chao‐Li Chen (State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou 510632 China) X Xu‐Hang Zhong (State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou China) L Li‐Yang Chen (State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou 510632 China) R Rui Zhou B Bingzhe Wang (Jinan University , , , ,) J Junhui Wang J Jingyi Zhu K Kaifeng Wu (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Reaction Dynamics and New Cornerstone Science Laboratory) D Dong‐Sheng Li (College of Materials and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials China Three Gorges University Yichang China) T Tao Wu S Shang‐Fu Yuan (State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou China)

Abstract

AbstractPhotoredox catalysis is an essential component of modern organic synthesis. However, current photocatalysts face the challenge of simultaneously requiring strong redox potentials and efficient charge transfer to meet the thermodynamic and kinetic demands of photoinduced electron transfer processes. Herein, we present an excellent reactivity mode for photocatalysis based on semiconductor clusters, exploiting the ideal Marcus parabola to couple potential and kinetic requirements. Our system demonstrates an exceptionally high negative reduction potential (Ered) (−2.94 V versus SCE, on par with K0) and realizes efficient charge transfer—rapid charge separation (CS) and slow charge recombination (CR) kinetics. This duality endows the protocol with remarkable versatility by enabling the dearomatization of nonactivated arenes and reductive dehalogenation of challenging aryl/alkyl chlorides and aryl fluorides, as well as arylation and amination, with a high functional group tolerance under visible‐light irradiation. Furthermore, this platform offers easy recyclability, supports gram‐scale synthesis, and can be extended to the late‐stage functionalization and deuteration of drugs. This innovative catalytic platform provides a new approach for the photochemical activation of inert organic substrates and is foreseen to promote the development of radical reaction‐based pharmaceutical synthesis.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 64, Issue 43
Published October 20, 2025
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (15)

H

Hao Ma

National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory

C

Cheng‐Kun Han

State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou 510632 China

J

Jia‐Xing Liu

State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou 510632 China

Y

Yi‐Lei Xu

State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou 510632 China

C

Chao‐Li Chen

State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou 510632 China

X

Xu‐Hang Zhong

State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou China

L

Li‐Yang Chen

State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou 510632 China

R

Rui Zhou

B

Bingzhe Wang

Jinan University , , , ,

J

Junhui Wang

J

Jingyi Zhu

K

Kaifeng Wu

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Reaction Dynamics and New Cornerstone Science Laboratory

D

Dong‐Sheng Li

College of Materials and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials China Three Gorges University Yichang China

T

Tao Wu

S

Shang‐Fu Yuan

State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs College of Chemistry and Materials Science and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry Jinan University Guangzhou China