Perchloroethylene (PCE) is a chlorinated organic solvent that has been widely used in applications such as dry cleaning and metal degreasing. However, due to its persistence in the environment and concerns regarding its potential carcinogenicity, its use has increasingly come under regulation in recent years. Despite this, PCE continues to be generated as an undesired byproduct in industrial processes, creating a need for effective strategies to utilize it rather than simply dispose of it—so-called chemical upcycling.
In this study, a research team led by Mr. Genta Taniguchi, Ms. Minami Fukuhara, Dr. Shohei Ohno, Associate Professor Haruyasu Asahara, Dr. Yuki Itabashi (OTRI), and Professor Kei Okubo (OTRI) developed a method to convert PCE into acid chlorides by reacting it with chlorine dioxide activated by visible light. Subsequent reaction with amines enabled highly efficient transformation into trichloroacetamides, which are valuable intermediates in synthetic chemistry. Furthermore, the method was shown to allow one-pot conversion into carbamates, ureas, and heterocyclic compounds, which serve as key building blocks for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals.

These findings were published in Chemical Communications (Royal Society of Chemistry) on March 19, 2026, and were selected for the Front Cover.

雑誌名：Chemical Communications
論文名： Visible-Light-Induced Upcycling of Perchloroethylene into Trichloroacetamides Using Chlorine Dioxide
著者： Shohei Ohno, Genta Taniguchi, Minami Fukuhara, Yuki Itabashi, Tsuyoshi Inoue, Kei Ohkubo, and Haruyasu Asahara