Photocatalysis has transformed chemists’ ability to make functional molecules, enabling hitherto impossible disconnections to be achieved directly. Despite this impact, many reactions require complex and bespoke photocatalysts for useful reactivity, with small changes in substrate architecture necessitating catalyst redesign. Here I will share our recent development and study of an iron and thiol cocatalyst system that exhibits remarkable generality across a range of substrates and reactions,¹ enabling decarboxylative protonation,² hydrofluoroalkylation,³ hydrochlorination,⁴ and other reactions^5,6 with minimal modification. I will share important points and limitations of this approach toward informing design of similarly general cocatalyst systems.

[1]   West, J.G.* Acc. Chem. Res. 2024, 57, 3068–3078
[2]   Lu, Y.-C.; West, J.G.* Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, 62, e202213055
[3]   Lu, Y.-C.† Bian, K.-J.†; Nemoto Jr., D.; Kao, S.-C.; Chen, X.; West, J.G.* Nature Chem. 2023, 15, 1683–1692. (†equal contribution).
[4]   Bian, K.-J.; Nemoto Jr., D.T.; Chen, Y.; Lu, Y.-C.; Kao, S-C.; Chen, X.; Marti, A.A. West, J.G.* Nature Synth. 2025, 4, 314–326.
[5]   Kattamuri, P.V.; West, J.G.* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 19316-19326.
[6]   Buzsaki, S.R.†; Mason, S.M.†, Kattamuri, P.V.; Serviano, J.M.I.; Rodriguez, D.N.; Wilson, C.R.; Hood, D.M.; Ellefsen, J.D.; Lu, Y.-C.; Kan, J.; West, J.G.*; Miller, S.J.*; Holland, P.L.* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 17296–17310. (†equal contribution).