Nanodiamond as highly reductive catalyst: photohydrodeoxygenation of aryl ketones under mild conditions
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Recent developments in diamond materials have focused on their potential for photocatalytic applications. This is mainly driven by diamond’s unique band structure, which distinguishes it from typically used semiconductors and allows access to potentials as reductive as -3.6 V (vs NHE). Additionally, diamond presents itself as a sustainable alternative, being carbon-based, nontoxic and reusable. However, its use in applied organic chemistry remains scarcely reported. Here, we present for the first time the use of hydrogen-terminated detonation nanodiamond (H-DND) for the deoxygenation of aryl ketones. The deoxygenation of organic compounds is key to produce fine and commodity chemicals e.g. from biomass. Traditional deoxygenation methods involve harsh conditions and the use of toxic reagents due to the high dissociation energy of the C-O bond. We demonstrate the deoxygenation of aryl ketones using H-DND under 395 nm LEDs irradiation and mild conditions. The applicability relevance of the method is also supported by scalability and recyclability studies, highlighting the application of H-DND as efficient highly reductive photocatalysts.
Source: ChemRxiv
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
OpenAlex ID: W7215049819