Visible-Light Photocatalysis: Does It Make a Difference in Organic Synthesis?

Visible-light photocatalysis has evolved over the last decade into a widely used method in organic synthesis. Photocatalytic variants have been reported for many important transformations, such as cross-coupling reactions, α-amino functionalizations, cycloadditions, ATRA reactions, or fluorinations. To help chemists select photocatalytic methods for their synthesis, we compare in this Review classical and photocatalytic procedures for selected classes of reactions and highlight their advantages and limitations. In many cases, the photocatalytic reactions proceed under milder reaction conditions, typically at room temperature, and stoichiometric reagents are replaced by simple oxidants or reductants, such as air, oxygen, or amines. Does visible-light photocatalysis make a difference in organic synthesis? The prospect of shuttling electrons back and forth to substrates and intermediates or to selectively transfer energy through a visible-light-absorbing photocatalyst holds the promise to improve current procedures in radical chemistry and to open up new avenues by accessing reactive species hitherto unknown, especially by merging photocatalysis with organo- or metal catalysis.

Silver-Mediated Oxidative Decarboxylative Intramolecular Asymmetric Radical Cyclization (Csp3-Csp2) via Memory of Chirality: Access to Circumdatin Alkaloids

A novel silver-mediated oxidative decarboxylative intramolecular asymmetric radical cyclization has been developed to form a C_sp3-C_sp2 bond via memory of chirality. The application of the process has been demonstrated for the synthesis of the circumdatin class of alkaloids in high enantiopurity with retention of the configuration. The developed protocol is mild and works with an inexpensive silver catalyst in the absence of ligand, base, or additives. The involvement of a monoradical in the reaction has been established by trapping the radical intermediate.

Base-promoted amide synthesis from aliphatic amines and ynones as acylation agents through C-C bond cleavage

A new protocol for the synthesis of amides via base-promoted cleavage of the C(sp)-C(CO) bond of ynones with aliphatic primary and secondary amines under transition-metal-, ligand-, and oxidant-free conditions has been developed. This method exhibits a wide substrate scope, high functional group tolerance and exclusive chemoselectivity, as well as mild reaction conditions.

Visible-light-mediated generation of nitrile oxides for the photoredox synthesis of isoxazolines and isoxazoles

Visible-light photoredox catalysis enables the synthesis of biologically relevant isoxazolines and isoxazoles from hydroxyimino acids. The process shows broad functional group compatibility and mechanistic and computational studies support a visible-light-mediated generation of nitrile oxides by two sequential oxidative single electron transfer processes.

An N-(acetoxy)phthalimide motif as a visible-light pro-photosensitizer in photoredox decarboxylative arylthiation

An efficient visible-light photoredox decarboxylative coupling of N-(acetoxy)phthalimides with aryl thiols has been developed. The reaction was performed well at room temperature with good tolerance of functional groups. Importantly, the visible-light photoredox decarboxylative arylthiation did not need an added photocatalyst.

Photoredox-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Alkylation of Silyl Enol Ethers To Synthesize Functionalized Aryl Alkyl Ketones

Photoredox-catalyzed decarboxylative alkylation of silyl enol ethers has been developed. Diverse functionalized aryl alkyl ketones were afforded in modest to good yields using N-(acyloxy)phthalimide as an easy access alkyl radical source under mild and operationally simple conditions. The excellent performance of drug molecules such as fenbufen and indomethacin and naturally occurring carboxylic acids such as stearic acid and dehydrocholic acid further demonstrated the practicability of the reaction.

Visible-light promoted arene C–H/C–X lactonizationviacarboxylic radical aromatic substitution

Photocatalytic carboxylic radical aromatic substitution enables the synthesis of diversely substituted coumarins by inert C–X bond cleavage under mild conditions.

Copper(ii)-mediated, carbon degradation-based amidation of phenylacetic acids toward N-substituted benzamides

The carbon degradation-based amidation of phenylacetic acids with aryl amides has been realized in the presence of Cu(OAc)₂, which provides a practical route in the synthesis of N-aryl secondary benzamides.

Photoredox radical C–H oxygenation of aromatics with aroyloxylutidinium salts

The peroxide-free aroyloxylation of aromatics with N-aroyloxylutidinium salts by photoredox catalysis has been developed.

The mechanism of copper-catalyzed oxytrifluoromethylation of allylamines with CO2: a computational study

We propose a novel Cu(i)–Cu(ii) catalytic cycle for the copper-catalyzed oxytrifluoromethylation of allylamines with CO₂, which proceeds through a radical–radical cross-coupling pathway.

Direct synthesis of 2-methylpyridines via I2-triggered [3 + 2 + 1] annulation of aryl methyl ketoxime acetates with triethylamine as the carbon source

I₂-Triggered reductive generation of iminyl radicals for the synthesis of 2-methylpyridines by employing triethylamine as the carbon source.

Exploring organic photosensitizers based on hemicyanine derivatives: a sustainable approach for preparation of amide linkages

Hemicyanine derivatives C1–C4 have been synthesized and show strong absorption in the visible region, good water solubility, efficient intersystem crossing, a high singlet oxygen quantum yield and high ability to transport electrons from the donor to acceptor. These hemicyanine derivatives were utilized as photocatalysts in additive/base free oxidative amidation of aromatic aldehydes in mixed aqueous media under visible light irradiation at low catalytic loading. The hemicyanine derivative C4 exhibited recyclability upto four cycles and reusability upto five cycles in oxidative amidation of aromatic aldehydes. Among all the hemicyanine derivatives, C4 shows a high photocatalytic efficiency due to a high singlet oxygen quantum yield. All the mechanism investigations showed involvement of reactive oxygen species generated by the organic triplet photosensitizer based on hemicyanine derivative for carrying out oxidative amidation of aldehyde. Our results will encourage the design of new “metal free” organic photosensitizers and their application in photocatalysis.

Hemicyanine derivatives C1–C4 have been synthesized and utilized as photocatalysts in additive/base free oxidative amidation of aromatic aldehydes in mixed aqueous media under visible light irradiation at low catalytic loading.

Oxidative Rearrangement Coupling Reaction for the Functionalization of Tetrahydro-β-carbolines with Aromatic Amines

The observation of an unexpected oxidative rearrangement coupling reaction led to the development of a novel method for the efficient functionalization of tetrahydro-β-carbolines (THβCs). The treatment of THβCs with photogenerated singlet oxygen (¹ O₂ ) afforded unstable dioxetanes, which underwent further transformation to form new bonds in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid. This operationally simple protocol exhibits broad functional-group tolerance and is suitable for the late-stage functionalization of complex druglike molecules.

Palladium-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Ortho-Acylation of Tertiary Benzamides with Arylglyoxylic Acids

A palladium-catalyzed ortho-acylation of tertiary benzamides using arylglyoxylic acids has been described. Unlike the palladium insertion reported to occur in the distorted N-C(O) amide bond of tertiary benzamides, the current study unveils ortho C-H palladation in acylic or cyclic N,N-dialkylbenzamides affording ortho-acylated tertiary benzamides in good to excellent yields. Our experimental study on the mechanism provides information on the tendency of the amide nitrogen toward weak coordination with palladium as opposed to oxygen. However, density functional theory calculations suggest coordination of amide oxygen to palladium, which makes the mechanism especially interesting. A Pd(II)/Pd(III) catalytic cycle and nucleophilic attack by the acyl radical rather than arylglyoxylate anion are supported by mechanistic studies.

Photoredox-Controlled Mono- and Di-Multifluoroarylation of C(sp3 )-H Bonds with Aryl Fluorides

A controllable mono- and di-multifluoroarylation of acyclic and cyclic N-aryl amines with aryl fluorides by photocatalyzed dual C(sp³ )-H/C(sp² )-F functionalization has been developed, providing new access to a wide array of valuable α-fluoroarylated amines. In addition, the one-pot consecutive hetero-di-multifluoroarylation of N-aryl pyrrolidines and N,N-dimethylanilines was achieved with high to excellent diastereoselectivity. This new defluorinative C(sp³ )-C(sp² ) coupling is distinguished by a broad scope, good regioselectivity, and mild conditions as well as gram-scale and late-stage applicability, and thus constitutes a significant advance in the arylation of unactivated C(sp³ )-H bonds with aryl fluorides.

Decarboxylative Borylation of Aliphatic Esters under Visible-Light Photoredox Conditions

The conventional methods for preparing alkyl boronates often necessitate anhydrous and demanding reaction conditions. Herein, a new, operationally simple decarboxylative borylation reaction of readily available aliphatic acid derivatives under additive-free visible-light photoredox conditions in nonanhydrous solvents has been described. Primary and secondary alkyl boronates or tetrafluoroborates with various functional groups were prepared accordingly. A catalytic cycle involving alkyl radical reaction with base-activated diboron species has been proposed.

Stabilization of Two Radicals with One Metal: A Stepwise Coupling Model for Copper-Catalyzed Radical-Radical Cross-Coupling

Transition metal-catalyzed radical-radical cross-coupling reactions provide innovative methods for C-C and C-heteroatom bond construction. A theoretical study was performed to reveal the mechanism and selectivity of the copper-catalyzed C-N radical-radical cross-coupling reaction. The concerted coupling pathway, in which a C-N bond is formed through the direct nucleophilic addition of a carbon radical to the nitrogen atom of the Cu(II)-N species, is demonstrated to be kinetically unfavorable. The stepwise coupling pathway, which involves the combination of a carbon radical with a Cu(II)-N species before C-N bond formation, is shown to be probable. Both the Mulliken atomic spin density distribution and frontier molecular orbital analysis on the Cu(II)-N intermediate show that the Cu site is more reactive than that of N; thus, the carbon radical preferentially react with the metal center. The chemoselectivity of the cross-coupling is also explained by the differences in electron compatibility of the carbon radical, the nitrogen radical and the Cu(II)-N intermediate. The higher activation free energy for N-N radical-radical homo-coupling is attributed to the mismatch of Cu(II)-N species with the nitrogen radical because the electrophilicity for both is strong.

Room temperature decarboxylative cyanation of carboxylic acids using photoredox catalysis and cyanobenziodoxolones: a divergent mechanism compared to alkynylation

The one-step conversion of aliphatic carboxylic acids to the corresponding nitriles has been accomplished via the merger of visible light mediated photoredox and cyanobenziodoxolones (CBX) reagents. The reaction proceeded in high yields with natural and non-natural α-amino and α-oxy acids, affording a broad scope of nitriles with excellent tolerance of the substituents in the α position. The direct cyanation of dipeptides and drug precursors was also achieved. The mechanism of the decarboxylative cyanation was investigated both computationally and experimentally and compared with the previously developed alkynylation reaction. Alkynylation was found to favor direct radical addition, whereas further oxidation by CBX to a carbocation and cyanide addition appeared more favorable for cyanation. A concerted mechanism is proposed for the reaction of radicals with EBX reagents, in contrast to the usually assumed addition elimination process.