Probing Mechanisms of Photochemical Reactions: How to Teach a Young Dog Old Tricks

The mechanism of photochemical reactions can be difficult to study because of the very short-lived intermediates involved. State-of-the art ultrafast spectroscopic tools can be used to probe these processes, but we will show in this account that old- fashioned techniques, such as the determination of quantum yields, the measurement of isotope effects or the use of triplet quenchers and sensitizers still can give a significant insight into the mechanism of photochemical reactions

Photochemical release of various functional groups

The photochemical liberation of functional groups is an attractive alternative to the traditional chemical approach. Several photolabile protecting groups have been developed in the past decades, but they were mainly designed to protect amines and carboxylic acids. In this account, we present some of our recent work on the photochemical release of other functions, such as silanols, aldehydes, and ketones. We also describe a new form of differentiation among several photolabile groups by the use of monochromatic light tuned to each of them: the chromatic orthogonalit

Hard Work and Light Experience: Early Steps in Photochemistry

The author describes his early steps as an independent researcher at the University of Geneva. His interest in synthetic organic photochemistry came from his past non-experience at the Universities of Geneva and Stanford, where he worked mainly on natural product synthesis and transition-metal catalysis

Recent Developments in Arene Photocycloadditions

The photocycloaddition of alkenes with aromatic systems may proceed through three reaction modes, affording different types of products: ortho, meta, and para. These reactions generate a considerable increase in complexity, and yield products arduously attainable by classical synthetic steps. Whereas the meta-photocycloaddition has gained a lot of attention in the last decades because of its applicability in the total synthesis of numerous natural products, the ortho- and para-cycloadditions still have a great potential for further development. In this highlight, we review the latest advances in the field of photocycloaddition of alkenes to aromatic systems

On the sustainability of photochemical reactions

Photochemical reactions are often presented as intrinsically environmentally friendly ('green'). This may be indeed the case, but only in particular circumstances. This short essay comments on various aspects of the greenness of photochemical reactions, both in a historical (when only mercury-based hard UV light sources were available) and a current (with the recent introduction of LED technology and photoredox catalysis) perspective

On the Importance of Chemical Education

Chemical education, together with other scientific and non-scientific fields, plays a role in the construction of a rational mind, and it is therefore of the highest importance to include it as early as possible in the school curricula. In this short article, the author, not being an expert in educational sciences, expresses his personal opinion based on almost 30 years of teaching chemistry at various levels