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Alkyl germanes are important compounds in pharmaceutical and materials chemistry but developing efficient and general strategies for synthesis of such compounds is challenging. Here, the authors report a robust electrochemically driven method for the synthesis of alkyl germanes.

The synthesis of allenes through 1,4-difunctionalization of 1,3-enynes typically requires preformed organometallic species, high temperature or specific alkyl radical precursors. Now an electrochemical multicomponent protocol for the chemo- and regioselective 1,4-difunctionalization of 1,3-enynes is reported, which uses alkyl bromides with aryl bromides, alkyl bromides or H₂O/D₂O as reagents for 1,4-difunctionalization.

Photocatalysis has greatly advanced in organic synthesis but still confronts challenges, including light attenuation in reaction media and excessive solvent utilization. Here, the authors present a scalable photo-mechanochemical platform that combines visible-light photocatalysis with Resonant Acoustic Mixing, enabling efficient cross-coupling reactions under solvent-minimised conditions.

The construction of trisubstituted alkenes with high stereoselectivity is challenging. Here, the authors realize the stereodivergent synthesis of such compounds via switching between electrochemistry, photochemistry and photoelectrochemistry.

Dehydrogenative reactions can provide alkenes, which are among the most useful handles for synthetic organic chemists. Here the authors integrated photoredox proton-coupled electron transfer and cobaloxime chemistry for the acceptorless dehydrogenation of alkyl alcohols.

The merger of photocatalysis and transition metal catalysis has broadened the scope of chemical reactivity in organic synthesis. This Review provides an overview of the use of metallaphotoredox catalysis for sp³ C–H functionalizations that occur via single-electron, rather than hydrogen atom transfer.

Classical Suzuki-Miyaura couplings require wasteful electrophilic coupling partners and an exogenous base often engaging in side-reactions. Here, the authors report an alternative Suzuki-type synthesis of biaryls, involving the base-free nickel-catalyzed deformylative coupling of aldehydes with organoboron reagents.

Photocatalytic selective C(sp³)–H activation/cross-coupling reactions are appealing in organic synthesis. Here the authors describe the development of excited-state Pd-catalyzed dehydrogenative β-sulfonylation reactions using amines and aryl sulfonyl chlorides via intermolecular hydrogen atom transfer and C−S cross-coupling processes at room temperature.

The selective construction of C-C double bonds in alkenes, which can be one of two isomers, is a fundamental focus of organic chemistry. Here, the authors systematically investigated the stereoselectivity in allylic C(sp3)-H bond arylations and demonstrated a ligand switch could allow a stereodivergent synthesis of silyl enol ethers.

The stereoselective synthesis of 1,3-dienes represents a challenge in organic synthesis. Here, the authors report a ligand-controlled stereodivergent access to both Z- and E-sulfonyl-1,3-dienes via photoredox and nickel catalysis.

The development of heterogeneous metallaphotocatalysis is of great interest for sustainable organic synthesis. Herein, the authors demonstrate the incorporation of privileged homogeneous bipyridyl-based Ni-catalysts into highly ordered and crystalline potassium poly(heptazine imide) (K-PHI).

Although the combination of photo- and nickel catalysis has garnered intense interest in the preceding years, the mechanisms by which these transformations occur are to some degree unresolved. Here the authors provide computational and spectroscopic support for a Dexter energy-transfer mechanism in the context of a C(sp3)–H alkylation.

The electrochemical generation of reactive hydrides has the potential to drive the electrification of chemical reactions. Now, a modified electron paramagnetic resonance set-up is put forward to demonstrate the role of Mo³⁺ hydride in amorphous MoS_x to catalyse both the hydrogen evolution reaction and electrochemical NADH regeneration.

Synthetic chemistry approaches for direct C–H bond alkylation offers a promising alternative to traditional functional-group-centered strategies which often involve multi-step procedures and may suffer from a variety of challenges including scalability. Here, the authors introduce resonant acoustic mixing as an efficient method for meta-C–H alkylation of arenes using a Ru-catalyst via a radical mechanism, avoiding the need for bulk solvents, external temperature, or light.

The synthesis of stereodefined alkenes is challenging, and often relies on the steric bias of the substituents. Here the authors report a photoredox/nickel catalysed difunctionalization of alkynes, giving access to either E- or Z-tri-substituted alkenes, depending on the photocatalyst used.

Selective photo-oxidation of CH₄ to value-added C₁ oxygenates remains challenging. Here, the authors propose construct mono-copper sites within a framework platform to optimize O₂ activation, enabling highly selective conversion of CH₄ to HCHO.

Solution processability is required for many industrial processes, but metal–organic frameworks are in general not dispersible, hindering their application. Here, a surface modification is reported that allows porous liquid formation and so synthesis of highly loaded and mechanically robust mixed matrix membranes.