Recent progress in photoinduced iron-catalyzed coupling reactions

Abstract

The visible light driven coupling process has emerged as an excellent technique for forming CC/C—heteroatom bonds directly from simple molecules. The green synthesis method is supported by the use of renewable energy sources without the necessity of prefunctionalizing the reactant. In the science of photochemistry, there is great hope that transition metals like iron will eventually replace precious metal catalysts, leading to a more sustainable future. A wide range of coupling products based on visible light-assisted iron catalysts has been studied extensively. To overcome the drawbacks of conventional synthesis, such as byproduct production, lower selectivity, and low yields, the reaction can be performed by applying light-assisted methods. The light source produces radicals using a technique that reduces the development of byproducts, increases yield, shortens reaction times, and is cost-effective. Employing iron in photocatalysis could expand the radical chemistry frontiers, which would further lead to the development of different reaction routes and structurally diverse molecules. This review highlights the recent developments in photoinduced iron catalyzed coupling reactions and their mechanistic pathways.