Organophotocatalytic or Electrophotocatalytic Reduction and Functionalization Reactions with a Thioxanthone-TfOH Complex Catalyst

Thioxanthone has long been a prominent catalyst in the field of photocatalysis, owing to its high triplet energy and long triplet lifetime that render it suitable for energy transfer reactions. However, its low oxidation potential and short singlet lifetime have posed challenges in employing it for electron transfer reactions. This account summarizes our efforts in developing a potent and long-lived thioxanthone-TfOH complex (9-HTXTF) catalyst, and its application in some energy-demanding redox transformations such as organophotocatalytic or electrophotocatalytic reduction and functionalization reactions.