Development of photocatalysts for selective and efficient organic transformations

•Methodologies for the development of photocatalysts have been critically discussed.•Focus is on the selective organic transformations using photocatalysts.•The objective is to overcome the existing limitations of photocatalysis.•More complex and unsafe procedures can be made simple and safe by photocatalysts.•Photocatalysts for efficient, selective, environmental friendly and high yield synthesis.

One of the main goals of organic chemists is to find easy, environmentally friendly, and cost effective methods for the synthesis of industrially important compounds. Photocatalysts have brought revolution in this regard as they make use of unlimited source of energy (the solar light) to carry out the synthesis of organic compounds having otherwise complex synthetic procedures. However, selectivity of the products has been a major issue since the beginning of photocatalysis. The present article encompasses state of the art accomplishments in harvesting light energy for selective organic transformations using photocatalysts. Several approaches for the development of photocatalysts for selective organic conversions have been critically discussed with the objective of developing efficient, selective, environmental friendly and high yield photocatalytic methodologies.

Graphical abstractPhotocatalysts using renewable solar light have brought revolution in the synthesis of organic compounds. The activity and selectivity of photocatalysts can be enhanced by suitable modifications.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide