Breaking Down ‘Forever Chemicals’ with Light

At a Glance

Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a photocatalytic system that efficiently breaks strong carbon-fluorine (C–F) bonds using visible light. This breakthrough enables the transformation of fluorinated compounds, including persistent polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), into useful chemical building blocks. The system operates under mild conditions, making it a promising approach for both environmental cleanup and industrial chemical synthesis. The technology also facilitates cross-coupling reactions, expanding its commercial applications in pharmaceuticals, materials science, and agrochemicals.

Background

Fluorinated compounds are widely used in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and high-performance materials due to their unique chemical stability. However, this stability also makes their degradation extremely challenging, leading to environmental persistence, particularly in the case of PFAS, known as “forever chemicals.” Existing methods for breaking C–F bonds often require harsh conditions or rare metals, limiting their practical use. The new photocatalytic approach provides an efficient, metal-free solution for transforming fluorinated molecules under mild, scalable conditions.

Overview

The researchers developed an organic photoredox catalyst system based on benzo[ghi]perylene monoimide (BPI) combined with tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride (nBu4NF). Under blue-light irradiation, this system enables the selective activation and reduction of C–F bonds, generating reactive carbon-centered radicals. These radicals can then undergo hydrodefluorination (replacing fluorine with hydrogen) or cross-coupling reactions to form valuable chemical products. This method is effective across a broad range of fluorinated compounds, including small molecules, PFAS, and fluorinated polymers. Compared to traditional methods, this photocatalytic system offers a significant improvement in efficiency, operating at room temperature with high selectivity and yield.

Figure 1. This figure shows the range of different aryl and alkyl fluorine compounds that can be successfully converted to their non-fluorinated counterparts.

Figure 2. This figure shows various PFAS compounds and their defluorinated products (a) as well as defluorination of fluorinated polymers (b) that were successfully transformed with this method.

Figure 3. This figure shows the ability of the photocatalytic system to facilitate cross-coupling reactions where a fluorine atom on aryl fluorides is replaced by other functional groups.

Benefits

Mild and Scalable Process: Operates at room temperature using visible light
Metal-Free Catalysis: Avoids expensive or rare transition metals
Broad Applicability: Effective for small molecules, PFAS, and fluorinated polymers
High Efficiency: Enables high-yield hydrodefluorination and cross-coupling
Environmental Impact: Provides a pathway for breaking down persistent fluorinated pollutants

Applications

Pharmaceutical Industry: Enables synthesis of fluorinated drug intermediates
Agrochemicals: Facilitates modification of fluorinated pesticides and herbicides
Environmental Remediation: Breaks down persistent PFAS contaminants
Materials Science: Modifies fluorinated polymers for new material applications
Fine Chemical Synthesis: Provides a new route for incorporating fluorinated building blocks

Publications

Liu, et al. (2024) “Photocatalytic C-F bond activation in small molecules and polyfluoroalkyl substances.” Nature.

Last Updated: July 2025

Opportunity

Available for Exclusive Licensing
TRL: 3

IP Status

PCT/US2024/041791

Inventors

Garret Miyake
Xin Liu
Alexander Green

Reference Number

2024-004

Licensing Manager

Aly Hoeher
Aly.Hoeher@colostate.edu
970-491-7100