Selectivity of Chemical Conversions: Do Light-Driven Photoelectrocatalytic Processes Hold Special Promise?

One of the great challenges in chemistry is the development of innovative catalytic processes. In this context, significant opportunities are currently opening up for technologies based on electrocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis, as these can drive various valuable catalytic redox transformations under very mild conditions. However, many catalytic processes lead to various different products of different value, and the technological attractiveness of catalytic processes depends to a large extent on their selectivity towards a specific desired product. In this Viewpoint, I propose and explore the idea that, due to the distinct features of interfacial energetics at illuminated semiconductors, light-driven photoelectrocatalytic processes at well-designed semiconductors represent a particularly attractive platform for the development of highly efficient systems for selective catalytic conversions. The investigations of selectivity and synthetic aspects of photoelectrocatalysis should gain momentum, especially as they also promise commercially viable applications on a more immediate time scale as compared to, for example, the light-driven production of hydrogen.