Redox-innocent scandium(III) as the sole catalyst in visible light photooxidations
Abstract In recent years, the catalytic activity of scandium triflate Sc(OTf)3 has attracted significant attention due to its robust Lewis acidity and the oxophilicity of Sc3+. These features have led to impressive progress in developing diverse organic reactions, including C-C bond formation. The S...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63233-4 |
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| author | Amal Hassan Tolba Ahmed M. El-Zohry Jafar Iqbal Khan Eva Svobodová Josef Chudoba Jiří Klíma Karol Lušpai Martin Pižl Jiří Šturala Radek Cibulka |
| author_facet | Amal Hassan Tolba Ahmed M. El-Zohry Jafar Iqbal Khan Eva Svobodová Josef Chudoba Jiří Klíma Karol Lušpai Martin Pižl Jiří Šturala Radek Cibulka |
| author_sort | Amal Hassan Tolba |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In recent years, the catalytic activity of scandium triflate Sc(OTf)3 has attracted significant attention due to its robust Lewis acidity and the oxophilicity of Sc3+. These features have led to impressive progress in developing diverse organic reactions, including C-C bond formation. The Sc3+ also facilitates single electron transfer in photoinduced reactions either by coordination to an organophotoredox catalyst, which modifies its redox reactivity, or by the formation of a scandium–superoxide anion complex after electron transfer from a light-absorbing redox-active compound. The prior consideration of Sc3+ as a redox-inactive/innocent metal ion initially hampered the investigation of the possibility of using Sc(OTf)3 as a sole visible light photoredox catalyst. This work demonstrates the use of Sc(OTf)3 as a visible light photocatalyst capable of direct and mild aerobic oxidative C-H functionalisation of aromatic substrates by oxidation of the benzylic position and direct cyanation of the aromatic ring. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1cc7c323272b49deac35dfd29ac14285 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-1cc7c323272b49deac35dfd29ac142852025-08-24T11:38:54ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-08-0116111110.1038/s41467-025-63233-4Redox-innocent scandium(III) as the sole catalyst in visible light photooxidationsAmal Hassan Tolba0Ahmed M. El-Zohry1Jafar Iqbal Khan2Eva Svobodová3Josef Chudoba4Jiří Klíma5Karol Lušpai6Martin Pižl7Jiří Šturala8Radek Cibulka9Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, PragueUltrafast Laser Spectroscopy Lab, Center for Integrative Petroleum Research, KFUPMDepartment of Physics, School of Natural Sciences, University of HullDepartment of Organic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, PragueCentral Laboratories, University of Chemistry and Technology, PragueDepartment of Molecular Electrochemistry and Catalysis, J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, AS CR, v.v.i.Department of Molecular Electrochemistry and Catalysis, J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, AS CR, v.v.i.Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, PragueDepartment of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, PragueDepartment of Organic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, PragueAbstract In recent years, the catalytic activity of scandium triflate Sc(OTf)3 has attracted significant attention due to its robust Lewis acidity and the oxophilicity of Sc3+. These features have led to impressive progress in developing diverse organic reactions, including C-C bond formation. The Sc3+ also facilitates single electron transfer in photoinduced reactions either by coordination to an organophotoredox catalyst, which modifies its redox reactivity, or by the formation of a scandium–superoxide anion complex after electron transfer from a light-absorbing redox-active compound. The prior consideration of Sc3+ as a redox-inactive/innocent metal ion initially hampered the investigation of the possibility of using Sc(OTf)3 as a sole visible light photoredox catalyst. This work demonstrates the use of Sc(OTf)3 as a visible light photocatalyst capable of direct and mild aerobic oxidative C-H functionalisation of aromatic substrates by oxidation of the benzylic position and direct cyanation of the aromatic ring.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63233-4 |
| spellingShingle | Amal Hassan Tolba Ahmed M. El-Zohry Jafar Iqbal Khan Eva Svobodová Josef Chudoba Jiří Klíma Karol Lušpai Martin Pižl Jiří Šturala Radek Cibulka Redox-innocent scandium(III) as the sole catalyst in visible light photooxidations Nature Communications |
| title | Redox-innocent scandium(III) as the sole catalyst in visible light photooxidations |
| title_full | Redox-innocent scandium(III) as the sole catalyst in visible light photooxidations |
| title_fullStr | Redox-innocent scandium(III) as the sole catalyst in visible light photooxidations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Redox-innocent scandium(III) as the sole catalyst in visible light photooxidations |
| title_short | Redox-innocent scandium(III) as the sole catalyst in visible light photooxidations |
| title_sort | redox innocent scandium iii as the sole catalyst in visible light photooxidations |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63233-4 |
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