A Broad Range of Aromatic Carboxylic Acids for Photocatalytic Methane Oxidation
Abstract
Abstract Photocatalytic methane (CH₄) activation under mild conditions presents a sustainable strategy for converting methane into valuable chemicals. This study introduces a versatile class of conjugated aromatic carboxylic acids as efficient, metal‐free photocatalysts for CH₄ oxidation in sodium chloride‐trifluoroacetic acid (NaCl‐TFA) media. Spectroscopic analysis and machine learning using spectroscopic features further elucidate key structural and electronic factors influencing catalytic activity, offering predictive insights for designing high‐performance photocatalysts. The carboxyl group is important in generating electron‐deficient carboxyl (RC(═O)O•) or carboperoxyl radicals (RC(═O)OO•), enabling selective hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) for CH₄ functionalization. Mechanistic investigations indicate the role of acyl chloride intermediates in enhancing reactivity. This work highlights the potential of aromatic carboxylic acids to address the challenges of methane functionalization, paving the way for greener chemical transformations and the utilization of inert feedstocks in sustainable chemistry.
Article Details
Authors (7)
Xiangyang Wang
Department of Orthopaedics The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou Zhejiang Province China
Guohao Jiang
College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChem State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P. R. China
Xuefeng He
1The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Hematology Department, Suzhou City, China
Qiuling Wang
iChem State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University 422 South Siming Rd., Siming District Xiamen Fujian 361005 P.R. China
Zhaomin Su
iChem, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Xue Wang
Cheng Wang