Lighting Up the Organochalcogen Synthesis: A Concise Update of Recent Photocatalyzed Approaches

Abstract

This review describes the recent advances in photocatalyzed reactions to form new carbon–sulfur and carbon–selenium bonds. With a total of 136 references, of which 81 articles are presented, the authors introduce in five sections an updated picture of the state of the art in the light-promoted synthesis of organochalcogen compounds (from 2019 to present). The light-promoted synthesis of sulfides by direct sulfenylation of C–C π-bonds; synthesis of sulfones; the activation of Csp2–N bond in the formation of Csp2–S bonds; synthesis of thiol ester, thioether and thioacetal; and the synthesis of organoselenium compounds are discussed, with detailed reaction conditions and selected examples for each protocol.

Keywords

• photocatalysis
• visible light
• green chemistry
• organochalcogen
• organosulfur
• organoselenium