Visible light-induced recyclable porous g-C3N4 promoted one-pot alcohol oxidation–Wittig tandem reactions

Abstract

Merging heterogeneous catalysis with one-pot tandem reactions serves as a key foundation for practical and sustainable chemistry. Herein, via rational design, porous graphite-phase carbon nitride (porous g-C₃N₄) was facilely synthesized via a soft template method. Compared to bulk g-C₃N₄, the larger specific surface area, excellent visible light response capability, and faster electron–hole migration rate enable porous g-C₃N₄ to exhibit outstanding catalytic performance in the visible light-induced one pot alcohol oxidation–Wittig tandem reactions. This protocol circumvents the use of expensive transition metal catalysts and toxic oxidizing agents, establishing a green and efficient system that facilitates the synthesis of α,β-unsaturated esters. Potentially, g-C₃N₄ emerges as a promising alternative to noble metal photocatalysts, thereby broadening the horizons of photocatalysis.