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Updated: Feb 25, 2026

One-pot Microwave-assisted Conversion of Anomeric Nitrate-esters to Trichloroacetimidates
Published on: January 15, 2018
Acetylacetone as an efficient electron shuttle for concerted redox conversion of arsenite and nitrate in the opposite
Zhihao Chen1, Xiaojie Song1, Shujuan Zhang1
1State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, PR China.
Abstract:
The redox conversion of arsenite and nitrate has direct effects on their potential environment risks. Due to the similar reduction potentials, there are few technologies that can simultaneously oxidize arsenite and reduce nitrate in one process. Here, we demonstrate that a diketone-mediated photochemical process could efficiently do this. A combined experimental and theoretical investigation was conducted to elucidate the mechanisms behind the redox conversion in the UV/acetylacetone (AA) process. Our key finding is that UV irradiation significantly changed the redox potential of AA. The excited AA, 3(AA)*, acted as a semiquinone radical-like electron shuttle. For arsenite oxidation, the efficiency of 3(AA)* was 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than those of quinone-type electron shuttles, whereas the consumption of AA was 2-4 orders of magnitude less than those of benzonquinones. The oxidation of arsenite and reduction of nitrate could be both accelerated when they existed together in UV/AA process. The results indicate that small diketones are some neglected but potent electron shuttles of great application potential in regulating aquatic redox reactions with the combination of UV irradiation.
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