Photoredox Catalysis as a Strategy for CO 2 Incorporation: Direct Access to Carboxylic Acids from a Renewable Feedstock

Understanding the Photo- and Electro-Carboxylation of o-Methylbenzophenone with Carbon Dioxide

The lack of understanding of the radical reaction mechanism of Carbon dioxide (CO2) in photo- and electro-catalysis results in the development of such applications far behind the traditional synthesis methods. Using methylbenzophenone as the model, we clarify and compare the photo-enolization/Diels−Alder (PEDA) mechanism for photo-carboxylation and the two-step single-electron reduction pathway for electro-carboxylation with CO2 through careful control experiments. The regioselective carboxylation products, o-acylphenylacetic acid and α-hydroxycarboxylic acid are obtained, respectively, in photo- and electro-chemistry systems. On the basis of understanding the mechanism, a one-pot step-by-step dicarboxylation of o-methylbenzophenone is designed and conducted. Both the experimental results and related density functional theory (DFT) calculation verify the feasibility of the possible pathway in which electro-carboxylation is conducted right after photo-carboxylation in one vessel. This synthesis approach may provide a mild, eco-friendly strategy for the production of polycarboxylic acids in industry.

Reductive Coupling of Carbon Dioxide and an Aldehyde Mediated by a Copper(I) Complex toward the Synthesis of α-Hydroxycarboxylic Acids

Copper-mediated reductive coupling between CO₂ and an aldehyde to form α-hydroxycarboxylic acid was achieved using silylborane as a reductant. CO₂ cleanly inserted into a copper-carbon bond that was formed by the reaction between a silylcopper-NHC complex and an aldehyde. A series of reactions that regenerate the silylcopper complex were developed for the synthesis of an α-hydroxycarboxylic acid. After repeating each step iteratively for two cycles, 0.62 equiv of α-hydroxycarboxylic acid based on the copper complex was obtained.

Access to 1,3-oxazine-2,4-diones/1,3-thiazine-2,4-diones via organocatalytic CO2/COS incorporation into allenamides

Organocatalyzed [4 + 2] annulation of CO₂/COS with allenamides is firstly reported to synthesize 1,3-oxazine-2,4-diones and 1,3-thiazine-2,4-diones in moderate to excellent yields under mild reaction conditions. The catalytic potential of a series of Lewis base CO₂ and COS adducts are particularly noted for this process, which features high regio- and chemo-selectivity, step-economy, facile scalability, and easy product derivatization. This study offers the potential for the application of organocatalytic systems for CO₂ and COS chemical transformation.

Mechanistic guidelines in nonreductive conversion of CO2: the case of cyclic carbonates

This perspective provides general mechanistic guidelines for the catalytic formation of cyclic organic carbonates from CO₂ and cyclic ethers.

Mechanistic study on the regioselective Ni-catalyzed dicarboxylation of 1,3-dienes with CO2

DFT calculations revealed a new CO₂ insertion mode different from conventional mechanisms in the Ni-catalyzed dicarboxylation of 1,3-dienes.

Carboxylation of Benzylic and Aliphatic C-H Bonds with CO2 Induced by Light/Ketone/Nickel

A photoinduced carboxylation reaction of benzylic and aliphatic C-H bonds with CO₂ is developed. Toluene derivatives capture gaseous CO₂ at the benzylic position to produce phenylacetic acid derivatives when irradiated with UV light in the presence of an aromatic ketone, a nickel complex, and potassium tert-butoxide. Cyclohexane reacts with CO₂ to furnish cyclohexanecarboxylic acid under analogous reaction conditions. The present photoinduced carboxylation reaction provides a direct access from readily available hydrocarbons to the corresponding carboxylic acids with one carbon extension.

Highly Selective and Catalytic Generation of Acyclic Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters via Functionalization of 1,3-Dienes with CO2

The catalytic asymmetric functionalization of readily available 1,3-dienes is highly important, but current examples are mostly limited to the construction of tertiary chiral centers. The asymmetric generation of acyclic products containing all-carbon quaternary stereocenters from substituted 1,3-dienes represents a more challenging, but highly desirable, synthetic process for which there are very few examples. Herein, we report the highly selective copper-catalyzed generation of chiral all-carbon acyclic quaternary stereocenters via functionalization of 1,3-dienes with CO₂. A variety of readily available 1,1-disubstituted 1,3-dienes, as well as a 1,3,5-triene, undergo reductive hydroxymethylation with high chemo-, regio-, E/Z-, and enantioselectivities. The reported method features good functional group tolerance, is readily scaled up to at least 5 mmol of starting diene, and generates chiral products that are useful building blocks for further derivatization. Systemic mechanistic investigations using density functional theory calculations were performed and provided the first theoretical investigation for an asymmetric transformation involving CO₂. These computational results indicate that the 1,2-hydrocupration of 1,3-diene proceeds with high π-facial selectivity to generate an (S)-allylcopper intermediate, which further induces the chirality of the quaternary carbon center in the final product. The 1,4-addition of an internal allylcopper complex, which differs from previous reports involving terminal allylmetallic intermediates, to CO₂ kinetically determines the E/Z- and regioselectivity. The rapid reduction of a copper carboxylate intermediate to the corresponding silyl-ether in the presence of Me(MeO)₂SiH provides the exergonic impetus and leads to chemoselective hydroxymethylation rather than carboxylation. These results provide new insights for guiding further development of asymmetric C-C bond formations with CO₂.

Palladium/copper-catalyzed multicomponent reactions of propargylic amides, halohydrocarbons and CO2 toward functionalized oxazolidine-2,4-diones

A palladium/copper-catalyzed oxy-carbonation of propargylic amides by halohydrocarbons and CO2 has been developed toward functionalized oxazolidine-2,4-diones. This multi-component reaction (MCR) was triggered by the oxidative addition of RX to Pd(0), followed by the sequential carboxylation of amide and trans-oxopalladation of an electron-deficient triple bond by RPdX species. Finally, the reductive elimination afforded products possessing tetra-substituted vinyl motifs and Pd(0). This protocol features simultaneous formation of three bonds, representing an efficient method for incorporation of CO2 into value-added heterocycles.

Construction of All-Carbon Chiral Quaternary Centers through CuI -Catalyzed Enantioselective Reductive Hydroxymethylation of 1,1-Disubstituted Allenes with CO2

A catalytic enantioselective construction of all-carbon chiral quaternary centers through reductive hydroxymethylation of 1,1-disubstituted allenes with CO₂ has been developed. In the presence of a copper/Mandyphos catalyst, CO₂ is transformed into an alcohol oxidation level by an asymmetric reductive C-C bond formation with allenes by using hydrosilane (HSi(OMe)₂ Me) as a reductant. The resulting chiral homoallylic alcohols are versatile synthetic intermediates and can be conveniently converted into a variety of useful chiral chemicals.

Transition metal-free phosphonocarboxylation of alkenes with carbon dioxide via visible-light photoredox catalysis

Catalytic difunctionalization of alkenes has been an ideal strategy to generate structurally complex molecules with diverse substitution patterns. Although both phosphonyl and carboxyl groups are valuable functional groups, the simultaneous incorporation of them via catalytic difunctionalization of alkenes, ideally from abundant, inexpensive and easy-to-handle raw materials, has not been realized. Herein, we report the phosphonocarboxylation of alkenes with CO2 via visible-light photoredox catalysis. This strategy is sustainable, general and practical, providing facile access to important β-phosphono carboxylic acids, including structurally complex unnatural α-amino acids. Diverse alkenes, including enamides, styrenes, enolsilanes and acrylates, undergo such reactions efficiently under mild reaction conditions. Moreover, this method represents a rare example of redox-neutral difunctionalization of alkenes with H-P(O) compounds, including diaryl- and dialkyl- phosphine oxides and phosphites. Importantly, these transition-metal-free reactions also feature low catalyst loading, high regio- and chemo-selectivities, good functional group tolerance, easy scalability and potential for product derivatization.

Selective C-F bond carboxylation of gem-difluoroalkenes with CO2 by photoredox/palladium dual catalysis

The catalytic C-F bond carboxylation of organofluorines with CO2 gas remains a challenging problem in synthetic chemistry. Here, we describe a selective defluorinative carboxylation of gem-difluoroalkenes through photoredox/palladium dual catalysis. The C-F bond activation is enabled by single electron reduction through photoredox catalysis to generate a fluorovinyl radical, which subsequently participates in an unprecedented palladium-catalyzed carboxylation. This novel C-F functionalization proved applicable to a wide range of substituted gem-difluoroalkenes, providing a rapid access to valuable α-fluoroacrylic acids.

Photocarboxylation of Benzylic C-H Bonds

The carboxylation of sp³-hybridized C–H bonds with CO₂ is a challenging transformation. Herein, we report a visible-light-mediated carboxylation of benzylic C–H bonds with CO₂ into 2-arylpropionic acids under metal-free conditions. Photo-oxidized triisopropylsilanethiol was used as the hydrogen atom transfer catalyst to afford a benzylic radical that accepts an electron from the reduced form of 2,3,4,6-tetra(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-5-(1-phenylethyl)benzonitrile generated in situ. The resulting benzylic carbanion reacts with CO₂ to generate the corresponding carboxylic acid after protonation. The reaction proceeded without the addition of any sacrificial electron donor, electron acceptor or stoichiometric additives. Moderate to good yields of the desired products were obtained in a broad substrate scope. Several drugs were successfully synthesized using the novel strategy.

Site-Selective, Remote sp3 C-H Carboxylation Enabled by the Merger of Photoredox and Nickel Catalysis

A photoinduced carboxylation of alkyl halides with CO₂ at remote sp³ C−H sites enabled by the merger of photoredox and Ni catalysis is described. This protocol features a predictable reactivity and site selectivity that can be modulated by the ligand backbone. Preliminary studies reinforce a rationale based on a dynamic displacement of the catalyst throughout the alkyl side chain.

Improved Conditions for the Visible-Light Driven Hydrocarboxylation by Rh(I) and Photoredox Dual Catalysts Based on the Mechanistic Analyses

The improved catalytic conditions and detailed reaction mechanism of the visible-light driven hydrocarboxylation of alkenes with CO₂ by the Rh(I) and photoredox dual catalysts were investigated. The use of the benzimidazoline derivative, BI(OH)H, as a sacrificial electron donor was found to increase the yield of the hydrocarboxylated product by accelerating the reduction process. In addition, the incorporation of the cyclometalated Ir(III) complex as a second photosensitizer with [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ photosensitizer also resulted in the promotion of the reduction process, supporting that the catalytic cycle includes two photochemical elementary processes: photoinduced electron and energy transfers.

Toward ideal carbon dioxide functionalization

This Perspective recapitulates recent developments of carbon dioxide utilization in carbon-carbon bond formation reactions, with an intention of paving a way toward sustainable CO2-functionalization and its tangible applications in synthetic chemistry. CO2 functionalization reactions possess intrinsic drawbacks: the high kinetic inertness and thermodynamic stability of CO2. Numerous procedures for CO2 utilization depend on energy-intensive processes (i.e. high pressure and/or temperature), often solely relying on reactive substrates, hampering its general applications. Recent efforts thus have been dedicated to catalytic CO2-utilization under ambient reaction conditions, however, it is still limited to a few activation modes and the use of reactive substrates. Herein, ideal CO2-functionalization with particular emphasis on sustainability will be discussed based on the following sub-categories; (1) metal-catalyzed 'reductive' carboxylation reaction of halides, olefins and allyl alcohols, (2) photochemical CO2-utilization, (3) redox-neutral CO2-functionalization, and (4) enantioselective catalysis incorporating CO2 to form C-CO2 bonds (excluding strain mediated reactions with epoxide- and aziridine-based substrates). Recent progress in these fields will be discussed with the proposed reaction mechanisms and selected examples, highlighting redox-neutral, umpolung, and asymmetric carboxylation to postulate ideal CO2 functionalization reactions to be developed in the near future.

Direct bromocarboxylation of arynes using allyl bromides and carbon dioxide

An unprecedented multicomponent reaction involving arynes, allyl bromides, and CO₂ has been developed to construct various allyl o-bromobenzoate scaffolds.

Visible light-promoted CO2 fixation with imines to synthesize diaryl α-amino acids

Light-mediated transformations with CO₂ have recently attracted great attention, with the focus on CO₂ incorporation into C–C double and triple bonds, organohalides and amines. Herein is demonstrated visible light -mediated umpolung imine reactivity capable of engaging CO₂ to afford α-amino acid derivatives. By employing benzophenone ketimine derivatives, CO₂ fixation by hydrocarboxylation of C=N double bonds is achieved. Good to excellent yields of a broad range of α,α–disubstituted α-amino acid derivatives are obtained under mild conditions (rt, atmospheric pressure of CO₂, visible light). A procedure that avoids tedious chromatographic purification and uses sustainable sunlight is developed to highlight the simplicity of this method.

Fixation of CO₂ in organic molecules is an area of great interest due to the implications in sustainable chemistry. Here, the authors show a visible light-mediated hydrocarboxylation of ketimines with atmospheric CO₂ to afford a number of α,α–diaryl α-amino acid derivatives.