Solvated Electrons for Photochemistry Syntheses Using Conjugated Carbon Nitride Polymers

Solvated electrons have attracted increasing research interest due to their strong reducing ability. However, the generation and utilization of solvated electrons in photocatalytic systems are rarely reported owing to the challenges in synthesis and their complex structures. Here, we present a photocatalytic system by accessing laboratory-scale concentrations of ammoniated electrons. Under visible light irradiation, ammoniated electrons are achieved by a cyanamide functionalized and potassium heptazine based melon polymer (PC-HM) in the presence of an electron donor, which are stable for days. This PC-HM can produce ammoniated electrons at room temperature to reduce dioxygen, thus enabling the production of H₂O₂ coupled with the selective oxidation of alcohols under visible light illumination. This work presents the possibility to take advantage of ammoniated electrons for solar energy conversion in energy and advanced organic chemistry.