Generation of a Ground-State Electron Donor Utilizing Stored Light Energy

This study presents a process for generating potent ground-state electron donors using chemically stored light energy. Our strategy leverages light energy through high-energy vicinal diols produced by the photodimerization of diaryl ketones. Under basic conditions, these diols can produce dianions with potentials near -2.7 V, which further act as strong organic reductants. These reductants demonstrate a high capacity for effectively reducing recalcitrant substrates at room temperature, including electron-rich aryl bromides, alkyl iodides, and sulfonamide compounds. Mechanistic investigations, supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, confirm both the formation of these dianions and their exceptional electron-donating properties.