A Highly Efficient Supramolecular Polymer-Based Singlet Oxygen Generator for Photocatalytic Minisci Alkylation.

Supramolecular polymers, with their specific functional units and structures, can effectively enhance the absorption and utilization of light energy, thereby facilitating more efficient photocatalytic organic reactions. In the present work, we constructed a supramolecular polymer consisting of benzothiazole derivatives (BTBP) and cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]). The BTBP monomer, known for its unique chemical structure and properties, has been found to exhibit a remarkable capability in generating singlet oxygen (O). As a result of the constraining impact of the macrocyclic molecule, the inclusion of CB[8] resulted in an effective enhancement in the ability to generate O while forming supramolecular polymer BTBP-CB[8]. When evaluating the quantum yield of O using Rose Bengal (RB) as a reference photosensitizer (75% in water), BTBP-CB[8] demonstrated an enhanced O quantum yield compared to BTBP, with an impressive yield of 152.4%, demonstrating that the formation of supramolecular polymer contributes to its ability to generate O. Subsequently, BTBP-CB[8], a highly efficient O generator, was employed for the photocatalytic Minisci alkylation reaction, resulting in an impressive reaction yield of up to 89%. The supramolecular polymer strategies employed in the construction of photocatalytic systems have exhibited remarkable efficacy in the production of O, underscoring their immense prospects in photocatalysis.