Sustainable chemistry and photocatalysis: metal nanoparticles as photocatalysts for the synthesis of organic compounds

Abstract

This article offers a brief discussion about the general interest of photocatalysis, in the field of sustainable chemistry, aiming to transform solar energy into chemical energy in order to obtain products or processes that are thermally forbidden or take place with low yield. An introduction of general concepts in photocatalysis is included, followed by a brief description of the main characteristics of metallic nanoparticles and their capabilities as photocatalysts upon irradiation. Finally, some representative examples of syntheses of organic compounds have been included to illustrate these capabilities, with special emphasis on supported metallic nanoparticles for heterogeneous photocatalysis.