Anomalous Reaction Pathways to Methane Production in Photocatalytic Ethanol Oxidation

Photocatalytic reduction reactions occasionally utilize sacrificial agents to scavenge photogenerated holes, thus enhancing the kinetics and efficiency of electron harvesting. However, exploring alternative hole-mediated oxidation reactions and their potential impact on photoredox processes is limited. This study investigates the products resulting from the oxidation of ethanol, a commonly used hole scavenger, and the underlying mechanisms involved. We examine a homogeneous eosin Y photoreaction scheme containing a Cu complex coordinated with an N-heterocyclic carbene, a combination often employed in CO