Work

Single-Atom Site Photocatalysts Boosting Organic Synthesis: The Integration of a Metal Active Site and Photosensitive Unit

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Metallaphotoredox catalysis merges the powerful bond-forming abilities of transition metal catalysis with unique electron or energy transfer pathways accessible in photoexcited states, injecting new vitality into organic synthesis. However, most transition metal catalysts cannot be excited by visible light. Thus, prevalent metallaphotoredox catalytic systems require dual catalysts: a transition metal catalyst and a separate photosensitizer. This leads to inefficient electron transfer between these two low-concentration catalytic species, which often limits overall photocatalytic performance. Single-atom site catalysts (SASCs) offer a promising solution, wherein isolated and quasi-homogeneous transition metal sites are anchored on heterogeneous supports. When semiconductors are employed as the support, the photosensitive unit and transition metal catalytic site can be integrated into one system. This integration switches the electron transfer mode from intermolecular to intramolecular, thereby significantly enhancing photocatalytic efficiency. Furthermore, such heterogeneous catalysts are easier to separate and reuse. This review summarizes recent advances in the application of SASCs for photocatalytic organic synthesis, with a particular focus on elucidating structure-activity relationships of the single-atom sites.

Source: Nanomaterials

DOI: 10.3390/nano16020129

Authors: Haoyue Sun, Yu Yang, Yanchang Liu, Dongxue Yang, Yichang Liu, Zaicheng Sun

Institution: Beijing University of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Radical Photochemical Reactions

Subfield: Organic Chemistry

Field: Chemistry

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Beijing University of Technology, National Key Research and Development Program of China