Stirring chemical reaction landscapes through strong light–matter interactions

Abstract

Recent experiments suggest that precise control of chemical reactions can now be achieved by strong light–matter coupling. This fueled a huge interest among researchers to use it as a spectroscopic tool to understand complex chemical relaxation pathways. In this review, we show the potential of polaritonic chemistry that can be used as a selective tool without using any external stimuli. Polariton-driven reactions are proposed based on photoswitches, all the way up to simple ester hydrolysis, that are otherwise mediated by light or thermal sources. We also discuss the cooperativity and collective nature of strong coupling that can tailor reaction rates by inter-/intramolecular interactions. Furthermore, we explain the pros and cons of this concept, its potential to be explored in different domains, and the challenges upfront.