Library of Cationic Organic Dyes for Visible-Light-Driven Photoredox Transformations

Organic dyes can be excellent catalysts for photoredox chemistry, offering low price, low toxicity, and an exceptional range of available materials. Their use has been limited because in comparison to their transition-metal catalysts the spectroscopic, kinetic, and electrochemical information available is far more limited. To remediate this situation, we have determined the necessary data for 14 readily available dyes with excellent potential as photoredox catalysts. We have also demonstrated the utility of these dyes through visible-light-mediated reductive dehalogenation and Aza-Henry reactions. We envision that this collection of data will lead to an increase in the use of cationic dyes in photoredox processes because users will find the necessary information readily available.