a b s t r a c tPiperonal (heliotropine or 3,4-methylenedioxybenzaldehyde) has been synthesized by oxidizing piperonyl alcohol in aqueous UV-irradiated TiO 2 suspensions. This compound was identified by GC-MS chromatography, 1 H NMR and melting point determination. The other products of the photoprocess were 1,3-bis(3,4-(methylenedioxy)benzyl) ether (found in traces) and CO 2 , derived from the parallel pathway of photo-mineralization. Commercial and home-prepared TiO 2 samples have been tested and the best selectivity (ca. 35%) was obtained by using the home-prepared ones. The reported green process allows to obtain an added value product (piperonal), upon partial oxidation of a cheap reagent.