Highly efficient visible-light photocatalytic ethane oxidation into ethyl hydroperoxide as a radical reservoir

Photocatalytic ethane conversion into value-added chemicals is a great challenge especially under visible light irradiation. The production of ethyl hydroperoxide (CH₃CH₂OOH), which is a promising radical reservoir for regulating the oxidative stress in cells, is even more challenging due to its facile decomposition. Here, we demonstrated a design of a highly efficient visible-light-responsive photocatalyst, Au/WO₃, for ethane oxidation into CH₃CH₂OOH, achieving an impressive yield of 1887 μmol g_cat ^-1 in two hours under visible light irradiation at room temperature for the first time. Furthermore, thermal energy was introduced into the photocatalytic system to increase the driving force for ethane oxidation, enhancing CH₃CH₂OOH production by six times to 11 233 μmol g_cat ^-1 at 100 °C and achieving a significant apparent quantum efficiency of 17.9% at 450 nm. In addition, trapping active species and isotope-labeling reactants revealed the reaction pathway. These findings pave the way for scalable ethane conversion into CH₃CH₂OOH as a potential anticancer drug.