A visible-light-photocatalytic water-splitting strategy for sustainable hydrogenation/deuteration of aryl chlorides

Hydrogenation/deuteration of carbon chloride (C−Cl) bonds is of high significance but remains a remarkable challenge in synthetic chemistry, especially using safe and inexpensive hydrogen donors. In this article, a visible-light-photocatalytic watersplitting hydrogenation technology (WSHT) is proposed to in-situ generate active H-species (i.e., Had) for controllable hydrogenation of aryl chlorides instead of using flammable H2. When applying heavy water-splitting systems, we could selectively install deuterium at the C−Cl position of aryl chlorides under mild conditions for the sustainable synthesis of high-valued added deuterated chemicals. Sub-micrometer Pd nanosheets (Pd NSs) decorated crystallined polymeric carbon nitrides (CPCN) is developed as the bifunctional photocatalyst, whereas Pd NSs not only serve as a cocatalyst of CPCN to generate and stabilize H (D)-species but also play a significant role in the sequential activation and hydrogenation/deuteration of C−Cl bonds. This article highlights a photocatalytic-WSHT for controllable hydrogenation/deuteration of low-cost aryl chlorides, providing a promising way for the photosynthesis of high-valued added chemicals instead of the hydrogen evolution.