Photoinduced Electron Transfer-Mediated Substitutions in Aqueous Media

This account intends to cover recent literature on photoinduced substitution reactions in water or aqueous media with synthetic utility. Interesting synthetic targets, such as benzothiazine rings, benzoxazoles, aromatic photosubstitutions on 6-fluoroquinoles, can be accomplished in a benign aqueous environment, reducing the impact of organic solvents, or the use of metals for substitution reactions. Synthetically-useful electron-transfer substitution reactions performed in aqueous media are noteworthy and not much developed. These reactions performed either through radicals or radical ion intermediates generated photochemically in aqueous environment will prove convenient and alternative sustainable options at hand for the organic synthetic chemist. Metal-mediated photoinduced electron transfer reactions will not be dealt with in this account, as have been the subject of recent review articles, as is the case of radical perfluoroalkylation substitution reactions in aqueous media which have been recently summarized.