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Catalytic Toluene Oxidation with Oxygen using a Copper Complex regenerated photochemically

The activation of oxygen for the oxidation of organic compounds using copper complexes as mimics of natural oxidases has long been a goal of the Schindler group. While they were very successful activating the oxygen with copper(I) complexes, the copper(II) generated in this process could not be reduced to the initial copper(I) complex again, thereby limiting the applicability. In a recent publication by Noß, Göttlich and Schindler (https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202301142) this regeneration of the complex was achieved using a Ruthenium photocatalyst and amines as reductant, thereby enabling the catalytic oxidation of toluene to benzaldehyde. The picture shows this process in a vessel as well as the involved catalytic cycles.

Dieses Bild wurde eingereicht von Prof. Dr. Richard Göttlich.

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