Radical-driven photocatalytic transformation of organic molecules

Abstract

In photocatalysis, photons are absorbed by semiconductor materials and photogenerated electrons and holes migrate to the catalytic surface for desired reactions. Photocatalytic reduction and oxidation of organic molecules pose significant challenges and opportunities, with the surging demand for energy-efficient and carbon-neutral organic synthesis. In this review, we highlight the recent progress in the expanding area of radical-driven photocatalytic transformation of organic molecules. Our focus expands from heterogeneous catalysts to quantum dots, summarizing the reaction mechanism and photocatalytic activity, in reference to conventional molecular catalysts.