@article{21008,
  abstract     = {C(sp2)–heteroatom couplings operating via NiI/NiIII catalysis have emerged as an alternative to canonical Pd0/PdII systems that require complex ligand architectures. Despite intensive research efforts during the past decade, catalytic methods employing this approach are still mostly confined to activated starting materials and require high catalyst loadings due to the low catalytic activity of NiI and undesired catalyst deactivation events. This article highlights recent advances in the field toward solving these long-standing challenges. We survey strategies that streamline the generation of catalytically competent NiI species from bench-stable NiII precatalysts, and discuss mechanistic studies that shed light on deactivation pathways and the rate-determining oxidative addition of aryl halides. In the final section, we highlight recently developed synthetic methodologies, which provide evidence that limitations can indeed be addressed by working at elevated temperatures, employing alternative electrophiles, harnessing the benefits of additives, or fine-tuning the metal’s reactivity through the ligand field.},
  author       = {Bena, Aleksander and Pieber, Bartholomäus},
  issn         = {2155-5435},
  journal      = {ACS Catalysis},
  number       = {2},
  pages        = {866--881},
  publisher    = {American Chemical Society},
  title        = {{Advances in NiI/NiIII-catalyzed C(sp2)–heteroatom cross-couplings}},
  doi          = {10.1021/acscatal.5c07964},
  volume       = {16},
  year         = {2026},
}

@article{20428,
  author       = {Noël, Timothy and Pieber, Bartholomäus},
  issn         = {1860-5397},
  journal      = {Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry},
  pages        = {1645--1647},
  publisher    = {Beilstein Institut},
  title        = {{Photocatalysis and photochemistry in organic synthesis}},
  doi          = {10.3762/bjoc.21.128},
  volume       = {21},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{20537,
  abstract     = {In this personal account, I describe the work performed in my research group on the development of methods that harness heterogeneous photocatalysts for light-mediated nickel-catalyzed cross-couplings. This includes catalytic systems using carbon nitride materials, dye-sensitized TiO₂, covalent organic frameworks (COFs), and conjugated polymers. The rationale behind the selection of materials and how their use led to the identification of catalyst deactivation, structure–activity relationships, and future opportunities is discussed.},
  author       = {Pieber, Bartholomäus},
  issn         = {1437-2096},
  journal      = {Synlett},
  publisher    = {Georg Thieme Verlag},
  title        = {{Photochemical cross-couplings using semiconducting materials}},
  doi          = {10.1055/a-2690-9269},
  volume       = {18},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{19599,
  abstract     = {Advances in nickel catalysis have significantly broadened the synthetic chemists’ toolbox, particularly through methodologies leveraging paramagnetic nickel species via photoredox catalysis or electrochemistry. Key to these reactions is the oxidation state modulation of nickel via single-electron transfer events. Recent mechanistic studies indicate that C(sp2)–heteroatom bond formations proceed through NiI/NiIII cycles. Related C(sp2)–C(sp3) cross-couplings operate via the photocatalytic generation of C-centered radicals and a catalytic cycle that involves Ni0, NiI, and NiIII species. Here, we show that light-mediated nickel-catalyzed C(sp2)–C(sp3) bond formations can be carried out without using exogenous photoredox catalysts but with a photoactive ligand. In a pursuit of expanding the scope of C(sp2)–heteroatom couplings using donor–acceptor ligands, we identified a photoactive nickel complex capable of catalyzing cross-couplings between aryl halides and benzyltrifluoroborate salts. Mechanistic investigations provide evidence that transmetalation between a photochemically generated NiI species and the organoboron compound is the key catalytic step in a NiI/NiIII catalytic cycle under these conditions.},
  author       = {Anghileri, Lucia and Baunis, Haralds and Bena, Aleksander and Giannoudis, Christos and Burke, John H. and Reischauer, Susanne and Merschjann, Christoph and Wallick, Rachel F. and Al Said, Tarek and Adams, Callum E and Simionato, Gianluca and Kovalenko, Sergey and Dell’Amico, Luca and Van Der Veen, Renske M. and Pieber, Bartholomäus},
  issn         = {1520-5126},
  journal      = {Journal of the American Chemical Society},
  number       = {16},
  pages        = {13169–13179},
  publisher    = {American Chemical Society},
  title        = {{Evidence for a unifying NiI/NiIII mechanism in light-mediated cross-coupling catalysis}},
  doi          = {10.1021/jacs.4c16050},
  volume       = {147},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{13970,
  author       = {Madani, Amiera and Sletten, Eric T. and Cavedon, Cristian and Seeberger, Peter H. and Pieber, Bartholomäus},
  issn         = {2333-3553},
  journal      = {Organic Syntheses},
  pages        = {271--286},
  publisher    = {Organic Syntheses},
  title        = {{Visible-light-mediated oxidative debenzylation of 3-O-Benzyl-1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-α-D-glucofuranose}},
  doi          = {10.15227/orgsyn.100.0271},
  volume       = {100},
  year         = {2023},
}

@article{13972,
  abstract     = {This Special Collection is dedicated to the field of photocatalytic synthesis and contains a diverse selection of original research contributions. It includes studies on catalyst development, mechanistic investigations, method development and the use of enabling technologies, illustrating the many facets of state-of-the-art research in photocatalytic synthesis. Further, emerging topics are surveyed and discussed in three reviews and a concept article.},
  author       = {Næsborg, Line and Pieber, Bartholomäus and Wenger, Oliver S.},
  issn         = {1867-3899},
  journal      = {ChemCatChem},
  number       = {17},
  publisher    = {Wiley},
  title        = {{Special Collection: Photocatalytic synthesis}},
  doi          = {10.1002/cctc.202300683},
  volume       = {15},
  year         = {2023},
}

@article{14409,
  abstract     = {We present a photon- and metal-free approach for the radical fluorination of aliphatic oxalate-activated alcohols. The method relies on the spontaneous generation of the N-(chloromethyl)triethylenediamine radical dication, a potent single electron oxidant, from Selectfluor and 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine. The protocol is easily scalable and provides the desired fluorinated products within only a few minutes reaction time.},
  author       = {Baunis, Haralds and Pieber, Bartholomäus},
  issn         = {1099-0690},
  journal      = {European Journal of Organic Chemistry},
  number       = {42},
  publisher    = {Wiley},
  title        = {{Formal radical deoxyfluorination of oxalate-activated alcohols triggered by the selectfluor-DMAP charge-transfer complex}},
  doi          = {10.1002/ejoc.202300769},
  volume       = {26},
  year         = {2023},
}