A Unique Fe–N4 Coordination System Enabling Transformation of Oxygen into Superoxide for Photocatalytic CH Activation with High Efficiency and Selectivity

ions turns out to have a high conversion rate of 99% as well as an acetophenone selectivity of 99%, which can be ascribed to a novel reaction pathway that is different from the conventional route involving hydroxyl radicals and the production of phenethyl alcohol. Furthermore, it possesses great potential for other CH activation reactions besides ethylbenzene oxidation.