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Updated: Jan 20, 2026

Determination of the Excitation and Coupling Rates Between Light Emitters and Surface Plasmon Polaritons
Published on: July 21, 2018
Aromatic Chemistry in the Excited State: Facilitating Metal-Free Substitutions and Cross-Couplings
Wenbo Liu1, Jianbin Li1, Chia-Yu Huang1
1Department of Chemistry and FRQNT Centre for Green Chemistry and Catalysis, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0B8, Canada.
Abstract:
Transition-metal-catalyzed cross-couplings between aromatic electrophiles and nucleophiles have revolutionized modern chemical syntheses. Nevertheless, transition-metal-free approaches are preferable, considering the various issues caused by metal catalysts. This Minireview summarizes the recent progress in the light-enabled transition-metal-free formation of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds in aromatics, which opens a new avenue in aromatic reactions. From the mechanistic perspective, it classifies different reaction types of aryl electrophiles in an excited state with various nucleophiles. We believe this will provide more rationales for metal-free aromatic substitutions and cross-couplings with light, and guide the development of novel transformations of aromatic compounds facilitated by light.
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