Tuning the Product Selectivity of the α-Alkylation of Ketones with Primary Alcohols using Oxidized Titanium Nitride Photocatalysts and Visible Light

The direct alpha-alkylation of ketones with alcohol to synthesize important alpha-alkylated ketones and enones is an attractive procedure for C-C bond formation. High reaction temperatures are always needed for heterogeneous catalysis using non-noble metals, and switching product selectivity in one catalysis system remains a great challenge. In the present study, a visible-light-driven procedure for this reaction is proposed, using oxidized TiN photocatalysts under mild conditions, whereby the product selectivity can be well-tuned. Oxidized TiN photocatalysts with tunable surface N/O ratios were successfully synthesized through the facile and flexible thermal oxidation treatment of low-cost TiN nanopowder. The alpha-alkylation of acetophenone with benzyl alcohol to form the two important compounds chalcone and dihydrochalcone occurred even at room temperature and almost complete conversion was achieved at 100 degrees C under visible light. The proportion of the two products can be well-tuned by switching the surface N/O ratio of the synthesized photocatalysts. Visible light is demonstrated to affect the surface N/O ratio of the photocatalysts and contribute to tuning the product selectivity. Light intensity and action spectrum study proves that the generation of energetic charge carriers results in the observed activities under visible light, based on interband transitions of TiN or the ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) effect of the surface complex formed on TiO2. Thermal energy can be coupled with light energy within this photocatalytic system, which will facilitate the full use of solar energy. Different sequential reaction mechanisms on TiN and TiO2 are proposed to be responsible for the tunable product selectivity. The wide reaction scope, the fine conversion at a low light intensity, and the favorable reusability of photocatalysts prove the great application potential of this visible-light-driven procedure for the alpha-alkylation of ketones with primary alcohols.