Sustainability of Visible Light-Driven Organic Transformations - A Review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The literature survey reveals the applications of visible light as a sustainable energy source in the various constructive organic transformations by using homogeneous and heterogeneous photocatalysts, catalysts under suitable solvents, or under solvent-free conditions to attain green and sustainable chemistry. Recently, the crises of energy sources demand a sustainable and renewable energy source worldwide. In these circumstances, visible light-driven organic transformations attracted much attention as a good alternative energy source. Due to the visible-light-driven organic synthesis offers several advantages such as natural abundance in the solar spectrum, friendly to the equipment, fewer side reactions, cost-friendly, selective product formation, higher isolated yields of products, environmental friendliness and sustainability. On the other hand, the developments in chemistry are adopting the green culture, in this state of affairs, visible light will be a great substitute for non-renewable energy sources for chemical transformations and synthesis. It will reduce the consumption of fossil fuels which will lead the world toward achieving the goals of sustainable development. METHODS: A number of different organic molecules are synthesized using different homogeneous and heterogeneous photocatalysts under visible light via different methods such as one-pot multi-component protocol, multi-step method, coupling and condensation method, etc. RESULTS: In this review paper, we have highlighted the basics and history of photochemical organic transformations using suitable photo-catalysts and dye-sensitized photochemical reactions. We have presented details of organic transformations under visible light using MOF, nano-material, COF, metal, graphitic carbon, organocatalyst as photocatalysts. We have also highlighted organic transformations using visible light in the absence of any metal or other catalysts. Thus, this review covers wide range of organic reactions under visible light and will benefit the synthetic organic chemist community.