Abstract
This review seeks to explore the literature pertaining to the applicability of nano-photocatalysts in fine chemical synthesis of organic compounds. The current methods of preparation of organic compounds in laboratories and industries are highly demanding on the non-renewable sources of energy. These conventional methods also generally require extreme conditions of temperature and pressure. Owing to deeper global awareness toward conservation of non-renewable sources of energy, there has been a shift of focus toward photocatalysis in the recent years. Photocatalysts are long known to catalyze various organic reactions such as oxidation, reduction, addition, cyclization and decomposition. The advent of nanotechnology made it possible to scale down these photocatalytic materials from bulk- to nano-scale and thereby further widen their scope and efficiency. Advances in material chemistry and nanotechnology have also made it possible to synthesize nanophotocatalysts of new genres, properties of which can be controlled and designed at molecular level. In this review, an attempt has been made to classify these diverse nanophotocatalysts into different groups, based on their composition and mechanism. Since the literature survey revealed that the chemoselectivity and efficiency of the nanophotocatalysts depend on their method of preparation, an overview of their common synthesis protocols is included. The review also highlights the various organic conversions for which these nanomaterials can be used under UV/visible irradiation. Nanophotocatalysts hold a great promise for environmentally-benign synthesis of highly useful organic compounds. We believe that this review can provide insights into research done in this field so far, which can pave way for further progress in this topic of far-fetched social significance. (C) 2016 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.