PFAS: A novel path to breaking down ‘forever chemicals’
New catalyst splits C-F bonds: Two boron atoms (green spheres) are embedded in a framework of carbon atoms (black). The electrons required for C-F cleaving currently still come from lithium (pink), in future from electric current. Image: Group of Matthias Wagner, Goethe University Frankfurt
June 12, 2025 – Chemists at Goethe University Frankfurt have developed a catalyst capable of breaking down per- and polyfluorinated organic substances (PFAS) – also known as “forever chemicals” – in a targeted manner. PFAS are widely used to make surfaces resistant to dirt and water, but their extreme persistence in the environment and potential health risks have made them a growing concern. What sets this new catalyst apart is that it does not rely on costly or toxic heavy metals like platinum, palladium, or iridium. Beyond its ability to degrade PFAS, the catalyst could also be used in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals.
This work was published in The Journal of the American Chemical Society titled ‘Planarity Is Not Plain: Closed- vs Open-Shell Reactivity of a Structurally Constrained, Doubly Reduced Arylborane toward Fluorobenzenes’.
