Volume 57, Issue 50 pp. 16426-16430
Communication

Wavelength-Controlled Dynamic Metathesis: A Light-Driven Exchange Reaction between Disulfide and Diselenide Bonds

Fuqiang Fan

Fuqiang Fan

Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics & Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819 China

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Dr. Shaobo Ji

Dr. Shaobo Ji

Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics & Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Chenxing Sun

Chenxing Sun

Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics & Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

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Cheng Liu

Cheng Liu

Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics & Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

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Dr. Ying Yu

Dr. Ying Yu

Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics & Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

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Prof. Yu Fu

Prof. Yu Fu

College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819 China

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Prof. Huaping Xu

Corresponding Author

Prof. Huaping Xu

Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics & Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

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First published: 21 October 2018
Citations: 143

Graphical Abstract

Controlled metathesis: Metathesis between disulfide and diselenide bonds was realized under irradiation, and the conversion of the exchange reaction could be controlled by modulating the wavelength of the light. This chemistry was applied to polymer materials to control the cleavage of polymers from a distance.

Abstract

Wavelength-controlled dynamic processes are mostly based on light-triggered isomerization or the cleavage/formation of molecular connections. Control over dynamic metathesis reactions by different light wavelengths, which would be useful in controllable dynamic chemistry, has rarely been studied. Taking advantage of the different bond energies of disulfide and diselenide bonds, we have developed a wavelength-driven exchange reaction between disulfides and diselenides, which underwent metathesis under UV light to produce Se−S bonds. When irradiated with visible light, the Se−S bonds were reversed back to those of the original reactants. The conversion of the exchange depends on the wavelength of the incident light. This light-driven metathesis chemistry was also applied to tune the mechanical properties of polymer materials. The visible-light-induced reverse reaction was compatible with reductant-catalyzed disulfide/diselenide metathesis, and could be utilized to develop a dissipative system with light as the energy input.

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