Oxygen-atom transfer photochemistry of a molecular copper bromate complex

Abstract

We report the synthesis and oxygen-atom transfer (OAT) photochemistry of [Cu(tpa)BrO₃]ClO₄. In situ spectroscopy and in crystallo experiments indicate OAT proceeds from a Cu–O fragment generated by sequential Cu–O bond cleavage and OAT from BrO_x to [Cu(tpa)]⁺. These results highlight synthetic opportunities in M–O photochemistry and demonstrate the utility of in crystallo experiments to evaluating photochemical reaction mechanisms.