A Porphyrin-Faced Zn8L6 Cage for Selective Oxidation of C(sp3)-H Bonds and Sulfides.

ABSTRACT

Catalytic oxidation of benzyl C-H bonds and sulfides from fuel oils stands as an attractive proposition in the quest for clean energy, yet their simultaneous oxidation with a singular, economically friendly catalyst is not well established. In this work, the combination of a cobalt(II) porphyrin ligand with 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde and ZnII yielded a Zn8L6 cage (Co cube). The three-dimensional conjugated structure effectively enhances energy transfer efficiency, enabling the Co cube to show a good ability to activate oxygen under light conditions for photooxidation. Moreover, this catalytic system demonstrates high selectivity for the photocatalytic oxidation of C(sp3)-H bonds and sulfides, employing the Co cube as a single component catalyst, molecular oxygen as the oxidant, and activating oxygen into 1O2 under mild reaction conditions. This provides significant insights for organic synthesis and future design of photocatalysts with complex molecular components.