Photochemical Organocatalytic Borylation of Alkyl Chlorides, Bromides, and Sulfonates

Synthesis of Acylboron Compounds

Acylboron compounds are emerging as versatile functional groups with applications in multiple research fields. Their synthesis, however, is still challenging and requires innovative methods. This Minireview provides an overview on the obstacles of acylboron synthesis and highlights notable advances within the last three years on new strategies to overcome the challenges posed by the formation of acyl-boron bonds.

Photochemical generation of acyl and carbamoyl radicals using a nucleophilic organic catalyst: applications and mechanism thereof

An organic catalyst uses low-energy photons to generate acyl and carbamoyl radicals upon activation of the corresponding chlorides via a nucleophilic acyl substitution path. The synthetic potential and the mechanism of this strategy are discussed.

We detail a strategy that uses a commercially available nucleophilic organic catalyst to generate acyl and carbamoyl radicals upon activation of the corresponding chlorides and anhydrides via a nucleophilic acyl substitution path. The resulting nucleophilic radicals are then intercepted by a variety of electron-poor olefins in a Giese-type addition process. The chemistry requires low-energy photons (blue LEDs) to activate acyl and carbamoyl radical precursors, which, due to their high reduction potential, are not readily prone to redox-based activation mechanisms. To elucidate the key mechanistic aspects of this catalytic photochemical radical generation strategy, we used a combination of transient absorption spectroscopy investigations, electrochemical studies, quantum yield measurements, and the characterization of key intermediates. We identified a variety of off-the-cycle intermediates that engage in a light-regulated equilibrium with reactive radicals. These regulated equilibriums cooperate to control the overall concentrations of the radicals, contributing to the efficiency of the overall catalytic process and facilitating the turnover of the catalyst.

Radical C-N Borylation of Aromatic Amines Enabled by a Pyrylium Reagent

Herein, we report a radical borylation of aromatic amines through a homolytic C(sp2 )-N bond cleavage. This method capitalizes on a simple and mild activation via a pyrylium reagent (Sc Pyry-OTf) thus priming the amino group for reactivity. The combination of terpyridine and a diboron reagent triggers a radical reaction which cleaves the C(sp2 )-N bond and forges a new C(sp2 )-B bond. The unique non-planar structure of the pyridinium intermediate, provides the necessary driving force for the aryl radical formation. The method permits borylation of a wide variety of aromatic amines indistinctively of the electronic environment.

A Photochemical Organocatalytic Strategy for the α-Alkylation of Ketones by using Radicals

Reported herein is a visible‐light‐mediated radical approach to the α‐alkylation of ketones. This method exploits the ability of a nucleophilic organocatalyst to generate radicals upon S_N2‐based activation of alkyl halides and blue light irradiation. The resulting open‐shell intermediates are then intercepted by weakly nucleophilic silyl enol ethers, which would be unable to directly attack the alkyl halides through a traditional two‐electron path. The mild reaction conditions allowed functionalization of the α position of ketones with functional groups that are not compatible with classical anionic strategies. In addition, the redox‐neutral nature of this process makes it compatible with a cinchona‐based primary amine catalyst, which was used to develop a rare example of enantioselective organocatalytic radical α‐alkylation of ketones.

Visible Light-Induced Borylation of C-O, C-N, and C-X Bonds

Boronic acids are centrally important functional motifs and synthetic precursors. Visible light-induced borylation may provide access to structurally diverse boronates, but a broadly efficient photocatalytic borylation method that can effect borylation of a wide range of substrates, including strong C-O bonds, remains elusive. Herein, we report a general, metal-free visible light-induced photocatalytic borylation platform that enables borylation of electron-rich derivatives of phenols and anilines, chloroarenes, as well as other haloarenes. The reaction exhibits excellent functional group tolerance, as demonstrated by the borylation of a range of structurally complex substrates. Remarkably, the reaction is catalyzed by phenothiazine, a simple organic photocatalyst with MW < 200 that mediates the previously unachievable visible light-induced single electron reduction of phenol derivatives with reduction potentials as negative as approximately - 3 V versus SCE by a proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism. Mechanistic studies point to the crucial role of the photocatalyst-base interaction.

Transition metal-free synthesis of alkyl pinacol boronates

This review systematically outlined the research in the area of transition metal free synthesis of alkyl pinacol boronates, which are versatile and important scaffolds to construct diverse organic compounds.

Photoinduced Deoxygenative Borylations of Aliphatic Alcohols

A photochemical method for converting aliphatic alcohols into boronic esters is described. Preactivation of the alcohol as a 2-iodophenyl-thionocarbonate enables a novel Barton-McCombie-type radical deoxygenation that proceeds efficiently with visible light irradiation and without the requirement for a photocatalyst, a radical initiator, or tin or silicon hydrides. The resultant alkyl radical is intercepted by bis(catecholato)diboron, furnishing boronic esters from a diverse range of structurally complex alcohols.

A novel photoredox-active group for the generation of fluorinated radicals from difluorostyrenes

A 4-tetrafluoropyridinylthio group was suggested as a new photoredox-active moiety. The group can be directly installed on difluorostyrenes in a single step by the thiolene click reaction. It proceeds upon visible light catalysis with 9-phenylacridine providing various difluorinated sulfides as radical precursors. Single electron reduction of the C–S bond with the formation of fluoroalkyl radicals is enabled by the electron-poor azine ring. The intermediate difluorinated sulfides were involved in a series of photoredox reactions with silyl enol ethers, alkenes, nitrones and an alkenyl trifluoroborate.

A new photoredox-active group was applied for the generation of fluorinated radicals from difluorostyrenes under blue light irradiation.

Redox-Neutral Borylation of Aryl Sulfonium Salts via C-S Activation Enabled by Light

Reported here is a novel photoinduced strategy for the borylation of aryl sulfonium salts using bis(pinacolato)diboron as the boron source. This method exploits redox-neutral aryl sulfoniums to gain access to aryl radicals via C-S bond activation upon photoexcitation under transition-metal-free conditions. Therefore, it grants access to diverse arylboronate esters with good performance from easily available aryl sulfoniums accompanied by mild conditions, operational simplicity, and easy scalability.

New avenues for C-B bond formation via radical intermediates

This perspective gives an overview on recent findings in the emerging area of C-radical borylation using diborons as radical trapping reagents. Aryl, vinyl and alkyl boronic esters can be accessed via such an approach under mild conditions. These processes are complementary to established transition metal catalysed cross coupling reactions. Radical borylations can be conducted in the absence of a transition metal but some processes require transition metals as catalysts. It will be shown that various readily available C-radical precursors can be used to run these borylations. For a better understanding of the chemistry, mechanistic discussions are also presented and an outlook on this topic will be provided at the end of the article.

Highlights from the 54th EUCHEM Bürgenstock Conference on Stereochemistry, Brunnen, Switzerland, May 2019

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