In recent years, photocatalysis has emerged as an increasingly viable tool in C–H activation catalysis with many examples of precious catalysts based on palladium, ruthenium, and rhodium complexes. In contrast, the use of earth-abundant 3d transition metals in photocatalysis is an important research field in our group, with recent examples on copper-catalyzed photo-induced C–H functionalizations.

Selected publications:

A) Y. Wang,' B. Yuan,' X. Chang,' L. Ackermann, "Ruthenaphoto-catalyzed ortho-C–H alkylation with secondary alkyl halides: SET-enabled ruthenium(II/III/IV) manifold", Chem 2025, 11, 102387. 'These authors contributed equally Abstract

B) S. Trienes,' S. Golling,' M. H. Gieuw, M. Di Matteo, L. Ackermann, "Visible Light-Induced Ruthenium(II)-Catalyzed Hydroarylation of Unactivated Olefins", Chem. Sci. 2024, 15, 19037-19043. 'These authors contributed equally Abstract

C) Y. Xu,' Y. Lin,' S. L. Homölle, J. C. A. Oliveira, L. Ackermann, "Enantioselective Cobaltaphotoredox-Catalyzed C–H Activation", J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 34, 24105-24113. 'These authors contributed equally Abstract

D) L. Wang', X. Huo', X. He, L. Ackermann, D. Wang, "Photoelectrochemical Nickel-Catalyzed Carboacylation/ Silanoylation of Alkenes with Unactivated C/Si–H Bonds", Green Chem. 2024, 26, 8315-8322. ' These authors contributed equally Abstract

E) A. M. Messinis, T. von Münchow, M. Surke, L. Ackermann, "Room temperature photo-promoted iron-catalysed arene C–H alkenylation without Grignard reagents", Nat. Catal. 2024, 7, 273–284. Abstract