Plasmon-Assisted Transfer Hydrogenation: Kinetic Control of Reaction Chemoselectivity through a Light Illumination Mode

Recently, the utilization of plasmon assistance was demonstrated to be a useful tool for promoting various chemical transformations. Plasmon triggering can enhance the reaction rate or change the reaction pathways, affecting in this way the selectivity of chemical transformation. The plasmon-assisted selectivity was previously achieved through variations in excitation wavelengths and plasmonic structures. The aim of this work was to prove that the optimal combination of light irradiation and the heterophase process could increase the reaction conversion and change the reaction chemoselectivity. We utilized various light illumination regimes (with different pulse frequencies and shapes) for the control of reaction conversion and selectivity in the plasmon-assisted transfer hydrogenation of two functional groups attached to the bimetallic (Au/Pt) grating surface: 4-ethynyl­phenylene and 4-nitrophenylene. It was demonstrated that the utilization of a suitable illumination regime allows us to increase the reaction rate and reach the kinetic control of plasmon-assisted transfer hydrogenation.