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Visible light photocatalysis as a greener approach to photochemical synthesis

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Abstract

Light can be considered an ideal reagent for environmentally friendly, 'green' chemical synthesis; unlike many conventional reagents, light is non-toxic, generates no waste, and can be obtained from renewable sources. Nevertheless, the need for high-energy ultraviolet radiation in most organic photochemical processes has limited both the practicality and environmental benefits of photochemical synthesis on industrially relevant scales. This Perspective describes recent approaches to the use of metal polypyridyl photocatalysts in synthetic organic transformations. Given the remarkable photophysical properties of these complexes, these new transformations, which use Ru(bpy)32+ and related photocatalysts, can be conducted using almost any source of visible light, including both store-bought fluorescent light bulbs and ambient sunlight. Transition metal photocatalysis thus represents a promising strategy towards the development of practical, scalable industrial processes with great environmental benefits.

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Figure 1: Oxidative and reductive quenching cycles in Ru(bpy)32+ photochemistry.
Figure 2: Photocatalytic [2+2] cycloadditions using visible light irradiation.
Figure 3: Merged organocatalytic and photocatalytic reactions.
Figure 4: Other recent approaches to transition metal photoredox catalysis in synthetic transformations.

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Acknowledgements

Research concerning the photocatalytic [2+2] cycloadditions described in this Perspective was supported by a Research Corporation Cottrell Scholar Award, a Beckman Young Investigator Award, and a Fellowship from the Sloan Foundation.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Room 5317, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, 53706-1396, Wisconsin, USA

    Tehshik P. Yoon, Michael A. Ischay & Juana Du

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  1. Tehshik P. Yoon
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Correspondence to Tehshik P. Yoon.

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Yoon, T., Ischay, M. & Du, J. Visible light photocatalysis as a greener approach to photochemical synthesis. Nature Chem 2, 527–532 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.687

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