ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF PHOTOCATALYSIS INDUCED BY LIGHT-SENSITIVE COORDINATION-COMPOUNDS

Light-sensitive transition metal compounds have attracted considerable interest with respect to light-induced catalytic processes since electronic excitation of these compounds may lead to species distinguished by considerable catalytic reactivity. As such species may be regarded coordinatively unsaturated compounds, complexes with,changed oxidation state, free ligands and ligand redox products. Depending on the life-time of the catalytically active species it is advantageous to distinguish between photoinduced catalytic and photoassisted reactions. Definitorial approaches to characterize these limiting cases of photocatalysis are discussed and examples illustrating both kinds of photocatalytic reactions are given.