Electrochemical activation of halogen bonding

In the past, noncovalent interactions have been extensively studied by electrochemical methods. In this context, halogen bonding (XB) has been a long-time overlooked item in the toolbox of supramolecular chemistry. The article is treating electrochemical activation of XB in solution and at the solid–liquid interface. Key principles and recent work on the use of electrochemistry as a tool for detecting and controlling XB are reported. Different types of redox-switching XB are identified in the context of molecular recognition and detection. First evidence for XB promoted electron transfer reactions involving the activation of covalent bonds represents a completely new and emerging domain, ripe for exploration.