Unlocking full and fast conversion in photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction for applications in radio-carbonylation.

Monticelli, Serena; Talbot, Alex; Gotico, Philipp; Caillé, Fabien; Loreau, Olivier; Del Vecchio, Antonio; Malandain, Augustin; Sallustrau, Antoine et al. · Nat Commun · 2023

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Harvesting sunlight to drive carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) valorisation represents an ideal concept to support a sustainable and carbon-neutral economy. While the photochemical reduction of CO<sub>2</sub> to carbon monoxide (CO) has emerged as a hot research topic, the full CO<sub>2</sub>-to-CO conversion remains an often-overlooked criterion that prevents a productive and direct valorisation of CO into high-value-added chemicals. Herein, we report a photocatalytic process that unlocks full and fast CO<sub>2</sub>-to-CO conversion (<10 min) and its straightforward valorisation into human health related field of radiochemistry with carbon isotopes. Guided by reaction-model-based kinetic simulations to rationalize reaction optimisations, this manifold opens new opportunities for the direct access to <sup>11</sup>C- and <sup>14</sup>C-labeled pharmaceuticals from their primary isotopic sources [<sup>11</sup>C]CO<sub>2</sub> and [<sup>14</sup>C]CO<sub>2</sub>.