Direct Catalytic Methanol-to-Ethanol Photo-conversion via Methyl Carbene

As an important effort to secure the sustainable fossil alternative,'' the direct conversion of the more readily available methanol to the more user-friendly, less toxic, and broadly applicable ethanol poses exciting potential as well as a tremendous scientific challenge. Herein, we report the first photo-driven one-step conversion of methanol to ethanol at ambient temperature, catalyzed by an ultra-stable gallium nitride semiconductor. Mechanistic studies revealed that methyl carbene (methylene), one of the most fascinating C-1 building blocks in synthetic chemistry, was generated as a reaction intermediate, which potentially enables a green and novel method for generating carbene. We also found that methanol can be converted to n-propyl alcohol with the same catalyst through a simple change in reaction temperature, giving a unique selectivity and a high-value-added product.