Solar Photochemical Synthesis: From the Beginnings of Organic Photochemistry to the Solar Manufacturing of Commodity Chemicals

Abstract

Natural sunlight offers a cost-efficient and sustainable energy source for photochemical reactions. In contrast to the lengthy and small-scale "flask in the sun" procedures of the past, modern solar concentrator systems nowadays significantly shorten reaction times and enable technical-scale operations. After a brief historical introduction, this review presents the most important solar reactor types and their successful application in preparative solar syntheses. The examples demonstrate that solar manufacturing of fine chemicals is technically feasible and environmentally sustainable. After over 100 years, Ciamician's prophetic vision of "the photochemistry of the future" as a clean and green manufacturing methodology has yet to be realized. At the same time, his warning "for nature is not in a hurry but mankind is" is still valid today. It is hoped that this review will lead to a renewed interest in this truly enlightening technology, that it will stimulate photochemists and photochemical engineers to "go back to the roots onto the roofs" and that it will ultimately result in industrial applications in the foreseeable future.

Functionalized Truxene Scaffold: A Promising Advanced Organic Material for Digital Era

“…Sunlight, being a type of natural catalyst is used for synthesizing various smart molecules by homocatalysis as well as heterocatalysis . The use of inorganic transition metal complexes, metal free heterogeneous complexes, and organic dyes display better results for chemical transformations in many photocatalytic reactions .…”

“…Sunlight, being a type of natural catalyst is used for synthesizing various smart molecules by homocatalysis as well as heterocatalysis. [76][77][78] The use of inorganic transition metal complexes, metal free heterogeneous complexes, and organic dyes display better results for chemical transformations in many photocatalytic reactions. [79,80,81] In this context, Fouassier and coworkers have reported truxene-based organophotocatalysts (58 a-e) to promote ring-opening and free radical polymerization reactions under household LED bulb, halogen lamp, and laser diode.…”

Predicting the Outcome of Photocyclisation Reactions: A Joint Experimental and Computational Investigation

“…Since photochemical reactions were discovered over 100 years ago, photochemical synthesis has become an important branch of organic chemistry . Photochemical syntheses involve the absorption of light by a molecule, causing it to transition to an electronically excited state.…”

“…Since photochemicalr eactions were discovered over 100 years ago, photochemical synthesis has becomea ni mportant branch of organicc hemistry. [1,2] Photochemical synthesesi nvolve the absorption of light by am olecule, causing it to transition to an electronically excited state. Thisr esultsi nr edistribution of electrons, changingt he chemicalp roperties of the molecule and broadening its reactivity spectrum by opening reactionp athways that may not be accessible by conventional thermalp rocedures.…”

“…Thermalellipsoids are shown at the 50 %l evel. Selected bond lengths (): C11-C14 1.417(2), C3-C4 1.441(2), C3-C7 1.392(2), C4-C8 1.420(2), C7-C111.438(2), C8-C14 1.467(2).…”