Visible-light induced solvent-free photooxygenations of organic substrates by using [60]fullerene-linked silica gels as heterogeneous catalysts and as solid-phase reaction fields

Novel recyclable heterogeneous catalysts generating singlet-oxygen under visible-light irradiation have been prepared by linking [60]fullerene to amino-functionalized silica gels. The catalysts facilitate various types of photooxygenerations including Diels–Alder reaction, ene reaction, and oxidations of phenol and sulfide in a solid-solvent system and even in a solvent-free system.