The research team explored how the catalyst, in the presence of photocatalyst 1,2,3,5-tetrakis(carbazol-9-yl)-4,6-dicyanobenzene (4CzIPN) and blue light irradiation, generates a radical intermediate on cis-1,2-cyclohexanediol that can be trapped by 1-dodecanethiol as hydrogen atom donor, to produce trans-1,2-cyclohexanediol. Use of epi-NHBoc-dihydrocinchonidine yields the opposite enantiomer.

The reaction is tolerant of cyclic diols of different sizes, with fused rings or bearing acetonide, ester or benzylic groups; it was also successfully applied to acyclic diols, such as meso-hexane-3,4-diol, as well as meso-1,3-diols, and pentane-2,4-diol. The team also demonstrated that the catalyst can control the enantioselection in the Giese addition of acrylamide or vinyl sulfone to the radical generated on the diol substrates. Mechanistic investigations confirmed that the photoexcited 4CzIPN is quenched by the catalyst, producing a radical cation that desymmetrizes the diol, forming a radical intermediate, placing the reaction under kinetic control. This intermediate undergoes a nonselective hydrogen atom delivery from the thiol to produce the entioenriched chiral diol.

研究团队探讨了该催化剂如何在光催化剂 1,2,3,5-四（咔唑-9-基）-4,6-二氰基苯 （4CzIPN） 和蓝光照射下，在顺式-1,2-环己二醇上产生自由基中间体，该中间体可被 1-十二烷硫醇作为氢原子供体捕获，从而产生反式-1,2-环己二醇。使用 epi-NHBoc-二氢金鸡尼定可产生相反的对映异构体。

该反应耐受不同大小的环状二醇，具有熔合环或带有乙酮、酯或苄基;它还成功地应用于无环二醇，如内消旋己烷-3,4-二醇，以及内消旋-1,3-二醇和戊烷-2,4-二醇。该团队还证明，该催化剂可以控制 Giese 向二醇底物上产生的自由基添加丙烯酰胺或乙烯基砜中的对映体选择。机理研究证实，光激发的 4CzIPN 被催化剂淬灭，产生自由基阳离子，使二醇去对称，形成自由基中间体，使反应处于动力学控制之下。该中间体从硫醇进行非选择性氢原子递送，以产生富含烯基的手性二醇。