The 14th Global Conference on Materials Science and Engineering
(CMSE 2025)

Abstract: Flavins have emerged as promising photocatalysts for organic transformations, yet their practical application faces significant challenges, including synthetic accessibility, photostability, solubility, and tunable redox properties. We aims to establish general design principles for sustainable, high-performance flavin derivatives tailored for photocatalysis. By systematically exploring structural variations, we investigate how modifications to the flavin core—such as isoalloxazines, alloxazines, and deazaflavins—impact key properties like absorption spectra, triplet state energetics, and singlet oxygen generation. Our approach integrates experimental studies with quantum chemical calculations to optimize photophysical and redox properties, enabling the use of mild visible light sources and enhancing catalytic efficiency.

A major focus is on tuning singlet oxygen production for selective oxygenation reactions while minimizing unwanted side reactions. We also explore strategies to extend absorption into the red region, enabling photocatalysis with low-energy light and reducing substrate degradation. Additionally, we address photobleaching and stability issues by optimizing flavin structures and exploring alternative oxidants for catalyst regeneration. The results highlight the potential of tailored flavin derivatives for diverse photocatalytic applications, including sulfoxidations, benzylic oxidations, and energy-transfer cycloadditions. This work provides a roadmap for the rational design of flavin-based photocatalysts, bridging the gap between fundamental research and practical implementation in sustainable chemistry.

Keywords: Flavins, spectroscopy, photocatalysis, photochemistry, singlet oxygen

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the Czech Science Foundation (Grant No 24-11386K) and by the research grant WEAVE-UNISONO UMO-2023/05/Y/ST4/00062, from The National Science Centre of Poland (NCN).

Biography: Marek Sikorski, a full professor, is a distinguished scientist in the field of chemistry, specializing in photochemistry and spectroscopy. He earned his MSc in physics from Adam Mickiewicz University (AMU) in Poznań, Poland, where he later obtained his PhD in chemistry (1994) and his DSc (habilitation) in 2003. In 2012, he was awarded the title of full professor. Since 1985, he has been affiliated with the Faculty of Chemistry at AMU, where he currently serves as the head of the Department of Spectroscopy and Magnetism. He has held prestigious fellowships, including those from The Royal Society and the Fulbright Program, and has conducted research at leading universities in the UK, USA, Canada, and other countries. His work focuses on the application of flavins in photocatalysis and, more broadly, on the interaction of light with matter, leading to numerous publications and research projects.