Interfacial photoelectrochemistry in organic synthesis

Gabriel Chan; Daria Corsi; Oleksandr Savateev; Paolo Giusto; Joshua Barham

doi:10.1002/anie.202424300

Interfacial photoelectrochemistry in organic synthesis

Gabriel Chan, Daria Corsi, Oleksandr Savateev^*, Paolo Giusto^*, Joshua Barham^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Pure And Applied Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

Photoelectrodes have traditionally enjoyed widespread attention as heterogeneous catalysts for the activation of water and CO2 in energy research, while photoelectrochemistry with homogeneous molecular catalysts dominates the activations of more complex molecules in organic synthesis. Nonetheless, interfacial photoelectrochemistry (iPEC) offers great benefits to organic synthesis, including catalyst cost-efficiency, reusability and stability. This review aims i) for a comprehensive collection of historical and recent examples of iPEC and ii) to present the field in manner and language accessible to synthetic chemists. Conceptual comparisons from photoelectrodes to homogeneous (electro-activated) photocatalysts to dye-sensitized photoelectrodes will be drawn, with advantages and limitations of each catalyst archetype discussed. Surface techniques for fabrication of photoelectrodes will be introduced. Future semiconductor photoelectrode materials, substrate targets and conceptual challenges in the field will be highlighted.

Original language	English
Article number	e202424300
Number of pages	25
Journal	Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Volume	64
Issue number	42
Early online date	19 May 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202424300
Publication status	Published - 13 Oct 2025

Funding

All authors thank the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) for providing financial support for this project under the Priority Programme (Schwerpunktprogramme) SPP 2370 \u201CNitroconversion\u201D (Project Number 501674274). P.G. and G.C. thank the Max Planck Society for ongoing financial support. O.S. thanks the Chinese University of Hong Kong for ongoing financial support and the Max Planck Society for financial support at the conception of this review project. J.P.B. thanks the University of Strathclyde for ongoing financial support. J.P.B. thanks the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for funding provided within the framework of the Sofja Kovalevskaja Award, endowed to J.P.B. by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, for financial support at the conception of this review project. We thank Mr. Simon Schmid and Mr. Wolfgang Haumer for providing the German translated manuscript.

Keywords

interfacial
photoelectrochemistry
organic synthesis

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10.1002/anie.202424300Licence: CC BY 4.0

Chan-etal-ACIE-2025-Interfacial-photoelectrochemistry-in-organicFinal published version, 4.23 MBLicence: CC BY 4.0

Cite this

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title = "Interfacial photoelectrochemistry in organic synthesis",

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AU - Chan, Gabriel

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AU - Savateev, Oleksandr

AU - Giusto, Paolo

AU - Barham, Joshua

PY - 2025/10/13

Y1 - 2025/10/13

N2 - Photoelectrodes have traditionally enjoyed widespread attention as heterogeneous catalysts for the activation of water and CO2 in energy research, while photoelectrochemistry with homogeneous molecular catalysts dominates the activations of more complex molecules in organic synthesis. Nonetheless, interfacial photoelectrochemistry (iPEC) offers great benefits to organic synthesis, including catalyst cost-efficiency, reusability and stability. This review aims i) for a comprehensive collection of historical and recent examples of iPEC and ii) to present the field in manner and language accessible to synthetic chemists. Conceptual comparisons from photoelectrodes to homogeneous (electro-activated) photocatalysts to dye-sensitized photoelectrodes will be drawn, with advantages and limitations of each catalyst archetype discussed. Surface techniques for fabrication of photoelectrodes will be introduced. Future semiconductor photoelectrode materials, substrate targets and conceptual challenges in the field will be highlighted.

AB - Photoelectrodes have traditionally enjoyed widespread attention as heterogeneous catalysts for the activation of water and CO2 in energy research, while photoelectrochemistry with homogeneous molecular catalysts dominates the activations of more complex molecules in organic synthesis. Nonetheless, interfacial photoelectrochemistry (iPEC) offers great benefits to organic synthesis, including catalyst cost-efficiency, reusability and stability. This review aims i) for a comprehensive collection of historical and recent examples of iPEC and ii) to present the field in manner and language accessible to synthetic chemists. Conceptual comparisons from photoelectrodes to homogeneous (electro-activated) photocatalysts to dye-sensitized photoelectrodes will be drawn, with advantages and limitations of each catalyst archetype discussed. Surface techniques for fabrication of photoelectrodes will be introduced. Future semiconductor photoelectrode materials, substrate targets and conceptual challenges in the field will be highlighted.

KW - interfacial

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U2 - 10.1002/anie.202424300

DO - 10.1002/anie.202424300

M3 - Review article

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Interfacial photoelectrochemistry in organic synthesis

Abstract

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Keywords

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