Photo-electrochemical ep-oxidation using environmentally friendly oxidants: Overview of recent advances in efficiently designed photo-electrode

[Display omitted] •Selective oxidation techniques with an emphasis on reducing negative environmental effects.•PEC cells catalyze redox transition of organic compounds to produce higher-value chemicals.•Concepts of the photo-electrocatalytic thin films systems for ep-oxidation reactions.•Developing innovative procedures that combine a stable, recyclable heterogeneous catalyst with a clean oxidant. Photoelectrochemical and electrochemical (photo-electrochemical) systems for epoxidation and oxidation (ep-oxidation) are a novel, stable, and efficient methods that produce value-added products. Recently, several studies have been reported on photo-electrochemical epoxidation using environmentally friendly oxidants. Here, we present an overview of photo-electrochemical for ep-oxidation systems that imparts oxidizing behavior in organic molecules and relies on green oxidants, i.e., H2O and O2 as the ultimate oxygen source, which is in line with the main trend of sustainability. This review also focuses on the photo-electrochemical properties of the engineered photo-catalyst thin films, in particular synthetic outlook, efficiency, activity, and selectivity.