New Photocatalytic Systems for Efficient Organic Synthesis

在化学系化学合成（SYN）项目的支持下，圣安东尼奥德克萨斯大学的Oleg V. Larionov正在开发新的催化剂，利用可见光的能量来实现以前未知的化学反应。这种新型催化剂通过选择性地破坏大分子中连接特定原子的化学键，并用其他原子团取代它们，从而产生新的更复杂的分子，同时产生更少的废物，消耗更少的不可再生资源，从而实现化学反应。新的反应将简化农用化学品、药品和塑料的生产。其他的社会效益将包括在化学研究的各个方面对代表性不足的群体进行培训，并通过举办一个关于可持续技术的创新讲习班来改进化学教育。新催化转化的发展需要对不同催化系统的机理细节有更深入的了解。在这个项目中，Oleg Larionov正在推进新的催化歧管的发现，通过自由基和自由基-离子途径实现强键的高效和选择性功能化，这些途径在可见光的光激活下可以实现。他和他的学生正在开发新的光催化剂，通过定向催化剂与底物的相互作用来吸引底物，这种作用与典型的非定向催化系统不同，提供了必要的选择性。该研究有望简化有价值的功能化材料的合成途径，并将增加对复杂催化歧管的理解，包括那些可能支持未来合成方法的歧管。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With the support of the Chemical Synthesis (SYN) program in the Division of Chemistry, Oleg V. Larionov of the University of Texas at San Antonio is developing new catalysts that use the energy of the visible light to enable previously unknown chemical reactions. The new catalysts enable the chemical reactions by selectively breaking chemical bonds that connect specific atoms within large molecules and replacing them with other groups of atoms, producing new and more complex molecules, while generating less waste and expending less non-renewable resources. The new reactions will simplify production of agrochemicals, medicines, and plastics. Additional societal benefits will include training of underrepresented groups in various aspects of chemical research and improvements in the chemical education through the development of an innovative workshop on sustainable technologies.Progress in the development of new catalytic transformations requires deeper understanding of mechanistic details of diverse catalytic systems. In this project, Oleg Larionov is advancing the discovery of new catalytic manifolds, enabling efficient and selective functionalizations of strong bonds by radical and radical-ionic pathways that become accessible upon photo-activation with visible light. He and his students are developing new photocatalysts, engaging substrates by means of directional catalyst–substrate interactions that provide the necessary selectivity in a departure from typical non-directional catalytic systems. The research is expected to streamline synthetic access to valuable functionalized materials and will add to the understanding of complex catalytic manifolds including those that will likely underpin future synthetic methodologies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.