Recent Advances in Visible-Light-Promoted Copper Catalysis in Organic Reactions

Abstract In recent years, visible-light-mediated copper photocatalysis has emerged as an attractive strategy for the diverse construction of basic bonds in an ecologically benign and cost-effective fashion. The intense activity in these areas has been stimulated by the distinctive properties of copper photocatalysts and has led to the rapid development and expansion of their applications. In this review, we focus on a series of significant achievements in the use of copper complexes as standalone photocatalysts in organic reactions to exhibit their high flexibility and potential in synthetic chemistry. 1 Introduction 2 Redox Coupling Reactions 2.1 Carbon–Nitrogen Redox Coupling Reactions 2.2 Carbon–Carbon Redox Coupling Reactions 3 Oxidative Coupling Reactions 4 Difunctionalization of Olefins 5 C–H Bond Functionalization 6 Radical Alkylation of Imines 7 Conclusions and Outlook