Photochemical tuning of materials: A click chemistry perspective

Abstract

Light driven reactions are perpetual tools for environment sustainability. As an external trigger, most of the photon driven reactions are stereoselective, precise, efficient and offer temporal control for biomolecules. The photoinduced reactions are key to unique molecular transformations that include click and unclick reactions. Since 2003, there has been an exponential rise research papers citing light driven reactions. This review considers the light promoted development and modification of reactions that fall under the criteria of ‘Click’ series of transformations. The review lays emphasis on the light induced biochemical, carbohydrate modification, surface labelling, bioconjugation, polymer modification, dendrimer synthesis, [4 + 2] and [2 + 2] reaction, thiol–ene/yne coupling, Cu assisted cycloaddition, strain-promoted azide alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC), nitro photoclick and photounclick reactions published in last one and half decade. This series of photoclick reactions use short wavelength radiations and are instant, clean, and near to perfect for transforming reactants to the desirable products.