Polymeric carbon nitride (C3N4) as heterogeneous photocatalyst for selective oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes

Polymeric carbon nitride (C3N4) is a semiconductor material which is a very promising green photocatalyst with good physico-chemical properties and stability. It is a metal-free carbon based non-toxic material which can be easily obtained from earth-abundant components. The robustness and versatility of C3N4 as a photo-redox catalyst allows its use for selective oxidations by heterogeneous photocatalysis. This paper reviews the state of art in the application of C3N4 as heterogeneous photocatalyst for selective oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes.