Perovskite Radiance: CsPbX3 Nanocrystals in Visible-Light (Organic)Photocatalysis

The rising interest in solar-light-driven organic transformations has catalyzed the development of innovative photocatalysts. Among the various materials explored, cesium lead halide perovskite (CsPbX3) nanocrystals have gained significant attention due to their improving optoelectronic characteristics, including tunable bandgaps, near-unity photoluminescence quantum yields, and broad absorption extending from the ultraviolet to the visible range. Their distinctive features, including facile anion exchange, extended excited-state lifetimes, and efficient charge transport, have enabled diverse organic transformations under mild conditions. While CsPbX3 nanocrystals have been extensively explored for photovoltaic applications over the past decade, their potential in organic photochemistry remains underutilized, hindered by challenges such as environmental instability, moisture sensitivity, incomplete understanding of bandgap tunability, and morphology-dependent reactivity. This review highlights recent advances in perovskite-based photocatalysis for organic synthesis, elucidates mechanistic pathways, and examines strategies to overcome current limitations. We conclude with a forward-looking outlook on the opportunities and challenges associated with translating these highly fluorescent nanomaterials into real-world photocatalytic applications.