Photochemistry articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    Photoinduced changes in transmission, reflection and scattering prevent conventional pump-probe spectroscopy to unambiguously assign the origin of spectral signatures. Ashoka et al. have developed an optical modelling technique to extract quantitative and unambiguous changes in the dielectric function from standard pump-probe measurements.

    • Arjun Ashoka
    • , Ronnie R. Tamming
    •  & Akshay Rao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The photodissociation of transition metal carbonyls is involved in catalysis and synthetic processes. Here the authors, using semi-classical excited state molecular dynamics, observe details of the early stage dynamics in the photodissociation of Fe(CO)5, including synchronous bursts of CO at periodic intervals of 90 femtoseconds.

    • Ambar Banerjee
    • , Michael R. Coates
    •  & Michael Odelius

  • Article
    | Open Access

    An inorganic and robust photocatalytic system based on Mo-doped faceted BiVO4 particles exhibits a solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency of 0.29% for H2O2 generation, a new record among inorganic systems.

    • Tian Liu
    • , Zhenhua Pan
    •  & Kazunari Domen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The electronic structures of photoactive proteins underlie many natural photoinduced processes. The authors, using UV liquid-microjet photoelectron spectroscopy and quantum chemistry calculations, determine electron detachment energies of the green fluorescent protein chromophore in aqueous solution, approaching conditions of the protein environment.

    • Omri Tau
    • , Alice Henley
    •  & Helen H. Fielding

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Chiroptical properties of amino acids are challenging to investigate in the gas phase due to the low vapor pressure of these molecules. Here the authors succeed in measuring circular dichroism active transitions and anisotropies in the ultraviolet range for several gas-phase amino acids, shedding light on the interactions between molecules and circularly polarized light that lead to chiral symmetry breaking.

    • Cornelia Meinert
    • , Adrien D. Garcia
    •  & Uwe J. Meierhenrich

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The development of complex molecular machinery requires a detailed appreciation of the factors that control energy pathways through the nanoscale scaffold. Here, the authors demonstrate that hetero-rotaxanes can be employed to create assemblies of different redox and photo-active components that enable selective tuning of energy transfer pathways.

    • Nicholas Pearce
    • , Katherine E. A. Reynolds
    •  & Neil R. Champness

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Photoredox catalysis can strongly reduce and cleave unactivated chemical bonds via photoinduced electron transfer. Here the authors use o-phosphinophenolate for photocatalytic C–F activation of a wide range of trifluoromethyl groups in trifluoroacetamides, trifluoroacetates, and trifluoromethyl(hetero)arenes to deliver corresponding difluoromethyl radicals.

    • Can Liu
    • , Ni Shen
    •  & Rui Shang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Gaining in-depth understanding of photochemical processes is key for developing more sustainable and efficient chemical transformations. Here the authors show that under visible light photochemical conditions, iminoiodinanes undergo formation of triplet nitrenes or nitrene radical anions, depending on the use of a photosensitizer; These reagents are studied in amination reactions with olefins.

    • Yujing Guo
    • , Chao Pei
    •  & Rene M. Koenigs

  • Article
    | Open Access

    UVR8 is a plant photoreceptor that dissociates into monomers after sensing UV. Here, via ultrafast spectroscopy and computational calculations, the authors describe the dynamics of charge separation and charge neutralization in UVR8 and describe how these unzip interactions at the dimer interface.

    • Xiankun Li
    • , Zheyun Liu
    •  & Dongping Zhong

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Photoresponsive compounds have potential applications in various fields, including the development of smart materials and switches. Here the authors report a gold(I) complex that undergoes multiple photoinduced color changes upon excitation of light at specific wavelengths, offering an enhanced storage capacity towards optical memory devices.

    • Nathan Man-Wai Wu
    • , Maggie Ng
    •  & Vivian Wing-Wah Yam

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The photophysical mechanism by which nucleosides dissipate energy after UV light irradiation is still under debate. Here the authors, using ultrafast time resolved optical spectroscopies and quantum chemical computations, resolve the early steps of such mechanism in uridine and 5-methyluridine in aqueous solution.

    • Rocío Borrego-Varillas
    • , Artur Nenov
    •  & Giulio Cerullo

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Acyl radicals represent a reactive species that allow for aldehyde subunits to be nucleophilic instead of their typical electrophilic behavior; however, these species are difficult to access in mild conditions. Here the authors show a method to generate acyl radicals using only an organic photocatalyst and light, and these species are shown as competent nucleophiles in a variety of couplings.

    • Jianming Yan
    • , Haidi Tang
    •  & Jie Wu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    To address the shortcomings in the application of bioactive peptides as drugs, incorporation of unnatural amino acids (UAAs) has been used. Here, the authors report an ionic compound-promoted C-N cleavage of alkyl pyridinium to generate alkyl radicals upon excitation by visible light, and apply it for deaminative hydroalkylation of alkenes to synthesise diverse β-alkyl substituted UAAs.

    • Mengran Wang
    • , Chao Wang
    •  & Zhaoqing Xu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Increasing the rigidity of a macromolecule while maintaining solubility is challenging. Here, the authors demonstrate covalent connection of two rigid-rod polymer chains with stiff connectors, leading to rigid ladder structures with well-defined conjugated rails.

    • Stefanie A. Meißner
    • , Theresa Eder
    •  & Sigurd Höger

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The Mizoroki–Heck reaction and its reductive analogue are staples of organic synthesis, but the ensuing products often lack a chemical handle for further transformation. Here the authors present a method to add a heterocycle and transformable halide across a double bond via iridium photocatalysis.

    • Shi-Yu Guo
    • , Fan Yang
    •  & Qing-An Chen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Exciton-polaritons are typically formed in organic systems when the molecules are confined between metallic or dielectric mirrors. Here, the authors reveal that interactions between excitons and moderately confined photonic states within the bare organic film can also lead to polariton formation, making them the primary photoexcitation.

    • Raj Pandya
    • , Richard Y. S. Chen
    •  & Akshay Rao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Energy band alignment theory is used to understand interface charge transfer in semiconductor/semiconductor junctions but many abnormal results cannot be well explained. Here, the authors demonstrate a Faradaic junction theory with isoenergetic charge transfer at semiconductor/semiconductor interfaces to explain these abnormal results.

    • Mingzhi Chen
    • , Hongzheng Dong
    •  & Zhigang Zou

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Molecular designs improving the performance of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters are greatly desired for optoelectronic applications. The authors propose a molecular geometry with donor and acceptor moieties facing each other separated by an anthracene bridge, giving rise to hot exciplex states producing color pure and fast TADF emission.

    • A. Lennart Schleper
    • , Kenichi Goushi
    •  & Alexander J. C. Kuehne

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Oligofurans have attracted great attention because of their strong fluorescence, charge delocalization, and increased solubility. Here the authors show a bottom-up modular construction of chemically and structurally well-defined oligo(arylfuran)s by de novo synthesis of α,β′-bifuran monomers and late-stage bromination, stannylation and subsequent coupling reaction.

    • Yang Chen
    • , Pingchuan Shen
    •  & Shifa Zhu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Many useful chemical scaffolds include carbon or nitrogen substitutions at two or three atoms away from benzene. Here, the authors show a unified hydroalkylation and hydroaminoalkylation protocol to access these structures via a regioselective photocatalytic addition to simple styrenes.

    • Zhao Wu
    • , Samuel N. Gockel
    •  & Kami L. Hull

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Commonly, large π-conjugated systems facilitate low-energy electronic transitions. Here, the authors demonstrate that the relief of excited-state antiaromaticity of the benzene core leads to large Stokes shifts, and allows the construction of emitters covering the entire visible spectrum without the need of extending π-conjugation.

    • Heechan Kim
    • , Woojin Park
    •  & Dongwhan Lee

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The generation of alkyl radicals through deoxygenation of abundant alcohols via photoredox catalysis is of interest. In this study, the authors report a one-pot strategy for visible-light-promoted photoredox coupling of alcohols with electron-deficient alkenes, assisted by carbon disulfide and triphenylphosphine.

    • Hong-Mei Guo
    •  & Xuesong Wu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Radiationless relaxation is ubiquitous in natural processes and often involves excited states that are difficult to observe. Here the authors, combining X-ray transient absorption spectroscopy and computations, provide insight into the photoinduced dynamics in pyrazine and the involvement of an optically dark 1Au(nπ*) state.

    • Valeriu Scutelnic
    • , Shota Tsuru
    •  & Stephen R. Leone

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Spatiotemporal dynamic of charge carriers is commonly studied with optical or photoconductivity measurements, yet these techniques come with their own limitations. To circumvent these limits, the authors probe the free-carrier diffusion dynamics of microsecond lifetimes via laser-illuminated microwave impedance microscopy.

    • Xuejian Ma
    • , Fei Zhang
    •  & Keji Lai

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Catalytic amide bond-forming methods is important because they could potentially address the existing limitations of classical methods using superstoichiometric activating reagents. Here the authors show an Umpolung amidation reaction of carboxylic acids with nitroarenes and nitroalkanes enabled by FeI2, P(V)/P(III) and photoredox catalysis that avoids the production of byproducts.

    • Yunyun Ning
    • , Shuaishuai Wang
    •  & Jin Xie

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The generation of non-stabilized alkyl radicals from sulfonium salts has been a challenge for several decades. Here, the authors show the treatment of S-(alkyl) thianthrenium salts, which can generate non-stabilized alkyl radicals as key intermediates that enable controlled and selective reactions under mild photoredox conditions.

    • Cheng Chen
    • , Zheng-Jun Wang
    •  & Zhuangzhi Shi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Controlled actuation is an important aspect of synthetic cellular systems. Here, the authors combine pH responsive DNA origami structures with light triggered proton pump engineered E. coli to trigger a change in pH and control the deformation of giant unilamellar vesicles by simple illumination.

    • Kevin Jahnke
    • , Noah Ritzmann
    •  & Kerstin Göpfrich

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Authors demonstrate Si-based MIS photoanodes using Al thin-film reactions to create localized conduction paths through the insulator and Ni electrodeposition to form metal catalyst islands. These approaches yielded low onset potential, high saturation current density, and excellent stability.

    • Soonil Lee
    • , Li Ji
    •  & Edward T. Yu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A highly efficient, stable, low-cost and environmentally friendly photocathode is the goal of practical solar hydrogen evolution applications. Here, authors report a Cu3BiS3-based photocathode and Cu3BiS3-BiVO4 tandem cell for unbiased overall solar water splitting with a STH efficiency over 2%.

    • Dingwang Huang
    • , Lintao Li
    •  & Feng Jiang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The Z-scheme photocatalytic system is promising for producing renewable energy by sunlight, but the optimization of multiple materials is challenging. Here, authors directly map out the photocatalytic activity on a microscopic scale by the clustering analysis for the time-resolved image sequence.

    • Makoto Ebihara
    • , Takeshi Ikeda
    •  & Kenji Katayama

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Femtosecond time-resolved X-ray solution scattering (fs-TRXSS) measurements provide information on the structural dynamics of proteins in solution. Here, the authors present a structure refinement method for the analysis of fs-TRXSS data and use it to characterise the ultrafast structural changes of homodimeric haemoglobin.

    • Yunbeom Lee
    • , Jong Goo Kim
    •  & Hyotcherl Ihee

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Arene-fused siloles have attracted interest due to their promising applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices. Here, the authors report Ir(III)-catalyzed cycloaromatization of ortho-alkynylaryl vinylsilanes with arylsulfonyl azides via α-silyl radical Smiles rearrangement for accessing naphthyl-fused benzosiloles under visible-light photoredox conditions.

    • Fengjuan Chen
    • , Youxiang Shao
    •  & Wei Zeng

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Compounds bearing a carbonyl group, such as aldehydes and ketones, are important industrial chemicals and widespread in pharmaceuticals and natural products. Here, the authors report a strategy for visible-light photoredox-catalyzed umpolung carboxylation of diverse carbonyl compounds with CO2, to generate valuable α-hydroxycarboxylic acids.

    • Guang-Mei Cao
    • , Xin-Long Hu
    •  & Da-Gang Yu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    UV-induced photodamage that likely occurred during the prebiotic synthesis of DNA and RNA is still an untackled issue for their origin on early Earth. Here, the authors show that substitution of 2,6-diaminopurine for adenine enables repair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers with high yields, and demonstrate that both 2,6-diaminopurine and adenine nucleosides can be formed under the same prebiotic conditions.

    • Rafał Szabla
    • , Magdalena Zdrowowicz
    •  & Janusz Rak

  • Article
    | Open Access

    3D printing enables customized manufacturing that is difficult to achieve through traditional material processing but 3D printing with high resolution and high speed is challenging to realize. Here, the authors demonstrate that photooxidation of a ketocoumarin photosensitizer can simultaneously deliver high print speed and high print resolution on a common 3D printer.

    • Xiaoyu Zhao
    • , Ye Zhao
    •  & Xiaolin Xie

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Three-body dissociation of water, producing one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms, has been difficult to investigate due to the lack of intense vacuum ultraviolet sources. Here, using a tunable free-electron laser, the authors obtain quantum yields for this channel showing that it is a possible route to prebiotic oxygen formation in interstellar environments.

    • Yao Chang
    • , Yong Yu
    •  & Xueming Yang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The direct and selective C(sp3)-H functionalization of cycloalkanes and alkanes is useful in organic synthesis but its application to asymmetric catalysis has been less explored. Here, the authors demonstrate the incorporation of a dual asymmetric photocatalyst which leads to the development of asymmetric sulfonylation involving direct functionalization of cycloalkanes, alkanes, toluene derivatives or ethers.

    • Shi Cao
    • , Wei Hong
    •  & Lei Gong

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Metabolites can distinguish pathogenic from healthy cells, but they are hard to couple to current photosensitizers without altering their biological activity. Here the authors design a new family of photosensitizers that retain metabolite function to target pathogenic cells and ablate them by photodynamic therapy.

    • Sam Benson
    • , Fabio de Moliner
    •  & Marc Vendrell

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Designing highly efficient chromophores comprising earth-abundant elements is essential for both light harvesting and electron transfer reactions. Here, authors prepare a copper purpurin complex that shows enhanced photocatalytic activity for CO2 reduction to CO with a high selectivity.

    • Huiqing Yuan
    • , Banggui Cheng
    •  & Zhiji Han

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