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Updated: Sep 7, 2025

Electroactive Polymer Nanoparticles Exhibiting Photothermal Properties
Published on: January 8, 2016
Photoelectrochemical Conversion of Dinitrogen to Benzonitrile: Selectivity Control by Electrophile- versus
Maximilian Fritz1, Severine Rupp2, Ciara I Kiene1
1Institut für Anorganische Chemie, Georg August Universität Göttingen, Tammannstraße 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
Abstract:
Nitride complexes are key species in homogeneous nitrogen fixation to NH3 via stepwise proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET). In contrast, direct generation of nitrogenous organic products from N2 -derived nitrides requires new strategies to enable efficient reductive nitride transfer in the presence of organic electrophiles. We here present a 2-step protocol for the conversion of dinitrogen to benzonitrile. Photoelectrochemical, reductive N2 splitting produces a rhenium(V) nitride with unfavorable PCET thermochemistry towards ammonia generation. However, N-benzoylation stabilizes subsequent reduction as a basis for selective nitrogen transfer in the presence of the organic electrophile and Brønsted acid at mild reduction potentials. This work offers a new strategy for photoelectrosynthetic nitrogen fixation beyond ammonia-to yield nitrogenous organic products.
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