近日，南京大学史壮志团队报道了矿物到分子砷通过光氧化还原催化转移。这一研究成果于2026年3月3日发表在《自然-化学》杂志上。

很少有元素能像砷那样，淋漓尽致地体现化学的双重性——其效用与毒性完全取决于应用场景。纵观历史，砷在人类文明进程中扮演了关键角色，其影响通过含有As–C键的有机砷化合物延续至现代科学。然而，这类分子的合成长期以来受限于依赖危险砷试剂的多步反应流程，阻碍了其实际应用。

研究组报道了一种变革性的"从矿物到分子"策略，利用光氧化还原催化，在可见光照射下将天然存在的硫化砷矿物（尤其是雌黄As₂S₃）直接转化为多样化的有机砷化合物。通过使源自矿物的砷与有机碘化物反应，该方法规避了有毒中间体，实现了结构多样的功能化有机砷化合物的高效、一步法构建。该策略在广泛底物上得到验证，为有机砷化合物建立了一条安全、可持续且可规模化的合成路线，攻克了砷化学领域长期存在的挑战。该工作架起了地球化学与合成化学之间的桥梁，为环境友好的分子制造提供了蓝图，将地球矿产资源转化为高附加值的功能分子。

附：英文原文

Title: Mineral-to-molecule arsenic transfer via photoredox catalysis

Author: Wang, Yandong, Ge, Chengzhi, Glorius, Frank, Shi, Zhuangzhi

Issue&Volume: 2026-03-03

Abstract: Few elements exemplify the duality of chemistry—where utility and toxicity depend on application—as strikingly as arsenic. Throughout history, arsenic has played a pivotal role in human civilization, and its influence endures in modern science through organoarsenicals, compounds featuring As–C bonds. However, the synthesis of these molecules has long been constrained by multistep processes reliant on hazardous arsenical reagents, limiting their practical adoption. Here we show a transformative mineral-to-molecule approach that leverages photoredox catalysis to directly convert naturally occurring arsenic sulfide minerals—particularly orpiment (As2S3)—into diverse organoarsenicals under visible-light irradiation. By reacting mineral-derived arsenic with organic iodides, our method bypasses toxic intermediates, enabling the efficient, one-step construction of functionalized arsenicals with broad structural diversity. Demonstrated across a wide range of substrates, this strategy establishes a safe, sustainable and scalable route to organoarsenicals, overcoming long-standing challenges in arsenic chemistry. Bridging geochemistry and synthetic chemistry, our work provides a blueprint for eco-friendly molecular manufacturing, transforming Earth’s mineral resources into high-value functional molecules.

DOI: 10.1038/s41557-026-02064-2

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41557-026-02064-2