Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Tuning the Acidity of Pt/ CNTs Catalysts for Hydrodeoxygenation of Diphenyl Ether
Published on: August 17, 2019
TiO2-mediated photocatalytic debromination of decabromodiphenyl ether: kinetics and intermediates
Chunyan Sun1, Dan Zhao, Chuncheng Chen
1Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
Abstract:
In this work, we report the rapid photoreductive debromination of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) byTiO2. The degradation of BDE209 is a stepwise process, and the bromines at the ortho positions are much more susceptible than those at the para positions. The photocatalytic degradation kinetics of BDE209 was further investigated under different reaction conditions (various solvents, in the presence of H2O, acids, or bases). A possible photoreductive debromination pathway was proposed on the basis of the identified reaction intermediates and density functional theory (DFT). This study provides a potential application of photocatalysis in removal of PBDE contamination.
Related Concept Videos
E2 Reaction: Kinetics and Mechanism
Catalysis
Catalysis
Thermal Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
Selection Rules: Thermal Activation
Conjugated systems containing an even number of π-electron pairs undergo a conrotatory ring closure. For example, thermal electrocyclization of (2E,4E)-2,4-hexadiene, a conjugated diene containing two π-electron pairs, gives trans-3,4-dimethylcyclobutene.
Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview
Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
