Homogeneous Photocatalytic Oxidation of Alcohols by a Chromophore–Catalyst Dyad of Ruthenium Complexes

A chromophore–catalyst dyad assembly of ruthenium polypyridyl complexes has been prepared, structurally and electronically characterized, and its proton-coupled multielectron photooxidation reactivity demonstrated by the visible sunlight-driven catalytic oxidation of aliphatic and benzyl alcohols into their corresponding aldehydes or ketones with high selectivities and over 100 turnover cycles in water, at ambient conditions.