Pashley-Johnson Fred, Wu Xingyu, Carroll Joshua A, Walden Sarah L, Frisch Hendrik, Unterreiner Andreas-Neil, Du Prez Filip E, Wagenknecht Hans-Achim, Read de Alaniz Javier, Feringa Ben L, Heckel Alexander, Barner-Kowollik Christopher
School of Chemistry and Physics, Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland, 4000, Australia.
Polymer Chemistry Research Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281-S4, Ghent, 9000, Belgium.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2025 Aug 25;64(35):e202502651. doi: 10.1002/anie.202502651. Epub 2025 Aug 4.
Photochemistry is undergoing a precision transformation. Through technological advancements, such as the advent of light emitting diodes and monochromatic lasers, chemists are now able to use photons not only as an energy source but also as a tool for directing photochemical processes with both wavelength and spatiotemporal precision. Enabled by these technologies, the discovery that photochemical action often does not align with molar extinction has catalysed the growth of the research field that we coin Precision Photochemistry. We explain how precision photochemistry stands on four fundamental pillars: molar extinction, wavelength-dependent quantum yield, concentration of the chromophores, and the length of the irradiation. Each of these four pillars are intrinsically linked and dictate the experimental conditions that should be used (e.g., wavelength, light intensity, and solvent system), as we demonstrate through simulations of a photochemical uncaging system. Building on these pillars, we propose a concrete definition for Precision Photochemistry and highlight important fields within chemistry that will benefit from careful consideration of them. Finally, we address key experimental considerations that must be taken into account when conducting precision photochemistry including the light source, the reaction setup, and the method for determining (wavelength-dependent) quantum yields. These factors are critical in furthering the development of the field of Precision Photochemistry.
光化学正在经历一场精确变革。借助诸如发光二极管和单色激光器等技术进步，化学家如今不仅能够将光子用作能源，还能将其作为一种工具，以波长和时空精度来引导光化学过程。在这些技术的推动下，光化学作用往往与摩尔吸光系数不一致这一发现，催化了我们称之为“精确光化学”的研究领域的发展。我们解释了精确光化学基于四个基本支柱：摩尔吸光系数、波长依赖量子产率、发色团浓度以及辐照长度。正如我们通过光化学解笼系统的模拟所展示的那样，这四个支柱中的每一个都内在相关，并决定了应使用的实验条件（例如波长、光强度和溶剂体系）。基于这些支柱，我们为精确光化学提出了一个具体定义，并强调了化学领域中将会因对它们的仔细考量而受益的重要领域。最后，我们阐述了进行精确光化学时必须考虑的关键实验因素，包括光源、反应装置以及测定（波长依赖）量子产率的方法。这些因素对于推动精确光化学领域的发展至关重要。
