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

Harvesting sunlight to drive carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) valorisation represents an ideal concept to support a sustainable and carbon-neutral economy. While the photochemical reduction of CO 2 to carbon monoxide (CO) has emerged as a hot research topic, the full CO 2 -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 2 -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 11 C- and 14 C-labeled pharmaceuticals from their primary isotopic sources [ 11 C]CO 2 and [ 14 C]CO 2 .