Core-shell　structured　nanocomposites,　a　type　of　talented　functional　materials　with　unique　microstructure　and　properties,　have　shown　great　promise　as　photocatalysts　for　various　applications,　including　photocatalytic　degradation　of　pollutants,　water　splitting　for　hydrogen　production,　and　selective　organic　transformations.　The　synthesis　and　utilization　of　efficient　core-shell　nanoarchitectured　photocatalysts　for　selective　organic　synthesis　are　at　the　center　of　our　research　efforts　and　the　focus　of　this　minireview.　Specifically,　semiconductor-based　core-shell　nanocomposites,　including　metal-semiconductor,　semiconductor-semiconductor,　semiconductor-shell　(graphene　and　SiO2)　as　photocatalysts/cocatalysts　for　selective　oxidation　of　alcohols,　reduction　of　nitro　organics　and　carbon　dioxide　for　synthesis　of　fine　chemicals,　and　redox-combined　selective　synthesis　of　pipecolinic　acid　are　summarized.　It　is　hoped　that　this　minireview　can　make　a　contribution　to　catalyzing　the　development　of　smart　core-shell　nanostructures　in　the　field　of　photocatalytic　selective　organic　transformations　for　solar　energy　conversion.　©　2013　WILEY-VCH　Verlag　GmbH　&　Co.　KGaA,　Weinheim.