A mild photocatalytic manifold for the synthesis of γ-lactones has been developed. Utilizing Ru(bpy)Cl as the photocatalyst, a cheap and reproducible synthetic protocol for γ-lactones has been introduced. Mechanistic studies revealed the successful monitoring of photocatalytic reactions and radical intermediates via high-resolution mass spectrometry.

A mild and green photochemical protocol for the oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones was developed.

The development of novel methodologies for the functionalization of saturated heterocycles is highly desirable. Herein, we reportacheap and efficient photochemical methodf or the CÀHf unctionalization of saturated O-heterocycles, as well as the deconstructive ring-cleavage of S-heterocycles, employing hypervalent iodine alkynylation reagents (ethynylbenziodoxolones, EBX). This photochemical alkynylation is performed utilizing phenylglyoxylic acid as the photoinitiator,l eadingt ot he correspondingp roducts in good to high yields, under household fluorescent light bulb irradiation. When O-heterocycles were employed, the expected a-CÀHa lkynylation tookp lace. In contrast, oxidative ring-opening to form at hioalkyne and an aldehyde was observedw ith S-heterocycles. Preliminary mechanistic experimentsa re presented to give first insights into this puzzling divergentreactivity.

A mild and green photo-organocatalytic protocol for the highly efficient acetalization of aldehydes has been developed.

Since United Nations has set goals dealing with climate change, the chemical industry has focused on recycling the already-used polymers, targeting the reinsertion of plastic waste to market via new...