Design of a photosystem to harvest visible-light into electrons: Photosensitised one electron redox reactions in organic synthesis

Abstract

Based on synchronous oxidation-reduction processes, analogous to photosynthetic mechanistic paradigm, a photosystem utilising Ph3P or ascorbic acid as sacrificial electron donor has been developed to harvest electrons from visible light photons. The utility of such photosystem has been demonstrated by initiating various one-electron reductive -C-C- bond formation reactions. Biologically active PGE1 and C-Furanosides are synthesised employing this photosystem at a crucial step.