Unlocking metal-ligand cooperative catalytic photochemical benzene carbonylation: a mechanistic approach.

A key challenge in green synthesis is the catalytic transformation of renewable substrates at high atom and energy efficiency, with minimal energy input (Δ ≈ 0). Non-thermal pathways, , electrochemical and photochemical, can be used to leverage renewable energy resources to drive chemical processes at well-defined energy input and efficiency. Within this context, photochemical benzene carbonylation to produce benzaldehyde is a particularly interesting, albeit challenging, process that combines unfavorable thermodynamics (Δ° = 1.