Visible Light Catalysis: A Sustainable Route to N-Heterocycles

Nitrogen-containing heterocycles stand as a cornerstone in various scientific disciplines, playing critical roles in medicinal chemistry, agrochemistry, and advanced materials research.

Given their significance, there is increasing interest in developing practical, effective, and eco-friendly synthetic processes for creating nitrogen-containing heterocycles.

In this context, visible light catalysis has emerged as a particularly attractive strategy for chemical reactions. As lead author Sinha notes in the paper, "Using visible light as a catalyst for chemical reactions has drawn a lot of attention in recent years because of its inherent abundance, ease of use, and potential industrial applications." This growing interest aligns with the need for practical, effective, and eco-friendly synthetic processes for creating nitrogen-containing heterocycles. This article provides an overview of the synthesis of N-heterocycles utilising visible-light photoredox catalysis, with a focus on categorization by the size and kind of N-heterocyclic rings produced.