Student-Driven Synthesis and Testing of Acridinium Photocatalysts for Selective Alcohol Oxidation

This six-week, course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) engages senior undergraduate students in the design and application of acridinium photoredox catalysts for the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohols. Students drive the entire research cycle: synthesizing and characterizing three acridinium salts, evaluating their performance in low-cost LED photoreactors, and investigating the reaction mechanism electrochemically. Pedagogical assessment based on learning objectives and qualitative feedback demonstrated strong student competency, with over 83% successfully correlating electrochemical data with reaction selectivity. Student reflections indicated growth in scientific identity and collaborative problem-solving. This work demonstrates that the CURE framework effectively fosters research proficiency and conceptual understanding for advanced students in organic chemistry.