Taming Electron Transfers: From Breaking Bonds to Creating Molecules.

Area of Science:

• Redox chemistry
• Physical organic chemistry

Background:

• Electrons are fundamental redox reagents for molecular transformations.
• Controlling electron and proton transfer is vital for efficient molecular chemistry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the mechanistic elements and reactivity of dissociative electron transfer (DET).
• To highlight diverse applications of DET in areas like photoredox catalysis and CO2 reduction.

Main Methods:

• Review of fundamental mechanistic studies on DET processes.
• Analysis of experimental examples showcasing DET applications.

Main Results:

• DET pathways are involved in photoredox catalysis, CO2 reduction, and alcohol oxidation.
• Understanding DET-proton transfer coupling is crucial for reaction selectivity and efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Interplay between experimental data and mechanistic studies advances understanding of driving force-rate relationships.
• This knowledge is essential for developing energy-efficient catalytic schemes in redox organic chemistry.