Photoelectrochemical Conversion of Dinitrogen to Benzonitrile: Selectivity Control by Electrophile- versus Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer.

Nitride complexes are key species in homogeneous nitrogen fixation to NH via stepwise proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET). In contrast, direct generation of nitrogenous organic products from N -derived nitrides requires new strategies to enable efficient reductive nitride transfer in the presence of organic electrophiles. We here present a 2-step protocol for the conversion of dinitrogen to benzonitrile.