Low-Cost Equipment for Photochemical Reactions

An inexpensive self-made apparatus for photochemical experiments was developed and has been tested to facilitate the inclusion of photoreactions in undergraduate teaching laboratories despite budget constraints. The core setup allowing the selection of defined wavelengths in the visible and UV regions is made of commercially available components for less than $500, including an enclosure providing a high safety standard. By choice of the reaction glassware, both reactions on micro scale as well as on preparative scale can be conducted easily in an appropriate time frame. In the Supporting Information, ideas for further optional equipment expanding the setup and enhancing its applicability are presented.