Visible-Light-Mediated Generation of Nitrogen-Centered Radicals: Metal-Free Hydroimination and Iminohydroxylation Cyclization Reactions

Aqueous-Medium Carbon-Carbon Bond-Forming Radical Reactions Catalyzed by Excited Rhodamine B as a Metal-Free Organic Dye under Visible Light Irradiation

The utility of rhodamine B as a water-soluble organic photocatalyst was studied in the cascade radical addition-cyclization-trapping reactions under visible light irradiation. In the presence of (i-Pr)2NEt, the electron transfer from the excited rhodamine B to perfluoroalkyl iodides proceeded smoothly to promote the carbon-carbon bond-forming radical reactions in aqueous media. When i-C3F7I was employed as a radical precursor, the aqueous-medium radical reactions proceeded even in the absence of (i-Pr)2NEt. In these reactions, the direct electron transfer from the excited singlet state of rhodamine B would take place. Furthermore, the cleavage of the C-I bond in less reactive i-PrI could be achieved by the reductive electron transfer from the excited rhodamine B, which was confirmed by the fluorescence quenching of rhodamine B with the addition of i-PrI.

Synthetic Strategies for 5- and 6-Membered Ring Azaheterocycles Facilitated by Iminyl Radicals

The totality of chemical space is so immense that only a small fraction can ever be explored. Computational searching has indicated that bioactivity is associated with a comparatively small number of ring-containing structures. Pyrrole, indole, pyridine, quinoline, quinazoline and related 6-membered ring-containing aza-arenes figure prominently. This review focuses on the search for fast, efficient and environmentally friendly preparative methods for these rings with specific emphasis on iminyl radical-mediated procedures. Oxime derivatives, particularly oxime esters and oxime ethers, are attractive precursors for these radicals. Their use is described in conventional thermolytic, microwave-assisted and UV-vis based preparative procedures. Photoredox-catalyzed protocols involving designer oxime ethers are also covered. Choice can be made amongst these synthetic strategies for a wide variety of 5- and 6-membered ring heterocycles including phenanthridine and related aza-arenes. Applications to selected natural products and bioactive molecules, including trispheridine, vasconine, luotonin A and rutaecarpine, are included.

New amination strategies based on nitrogen-centered radical chemistry

The interesting and diverse biological activities of nitrogen-containing compounds make the construction of the C-N bond of great importance. Despite the tremendous advances that have been made in this research field, C-N bond formation based on nitrogen-centered radicals remains a significant challenge due to the harsh conditions required for the generation of nitrogen-centered radicals and their propensity for hydrogen abstraction or engaging in other degradation pathways. In the past several years, novel methodologies for C-N bond constructions based on nitrogen centered-radical intermediates, coordinated with metal or generated in the presence of visible-light and a photocatalyst, have attracted considerable attention. This tutorial review will summarize the significant progress of these efficient and mild radical amination reactions, with an emphasis on approaches for the generation of nitrogen-centered radicals and their reaction patterns, related mechanisms and synthetic applications, as well as unmet challenges in this emerging and promising field.

Visible light photoredox-controlled reactions of N-radicals and radical ions

Radicals are an important class of versatile and highly reactive species. Compared with the wide applications of various C-centred radicals, however, the N-radical species including N-centred radicals and radical ions remain largely unexplored due to the lack of convenient methods for their generation. In recent years, visible light photoredox catalysis has emerged as a powerful platform for the generation of various N-radical species and methodology development towards the synthesis of diverse N-containing compounds. In this tutorial review, we highlight recent advances in this rapidly developing area with particular emphases put on the working models and new reaction design.

Dichotomous mechanistic behavior in Narasaka-Heck cyclizations: electron rich Pd-catalysts generate iminyl radicals

Pd-catalyzed cyclizations of oxime esters with pendant alkenes are subject to an unusual ligand controlled mechanistic divergence. Pd-systems modified with electron deficient phosphines (e.g. P(3,5-(CF3)2C6H3)3) promote efficient aza-Heck cyclization, wherein C-N bond formation occurs via alkene imino-palladation. Conversely, electron rich ligands, such as P(t-Bu)3, cause deviation to a SET pathway and, in these cases, C-N bond formation occurs via cyclization of an iminyl radical. A series of mechanistic experiments differentiate the two pathways and the scope of the hybrid organometallic radical cyclization is outlined. This study represents a rare example in Pd-catalysis where selection between dichotomous mechanistic manifolds is facilitated solely by choice of phosphine ligand.

Functionalised Oximes: Emergent Precursors for Carbon-, Nitrogen- and Oxygen-Centred Radicals

Oxime derivatives are easily made, are non-hazardous and have long shelf lives. They contain weak N-O bonds that undergo homolytic scission, on appropriate thermal or photochemical stimulus, to initially release a pair of N- and O-centred radicals. This article reviews the use of these precursors for studying the structures, reactions and kinetics of the released radicals. Two classes have been exploited for radical generation; one comprises carbonyl oximes, principally oxime esters and amides, and the second comprises oxime ethers. Both classes release an iminyl radical together with an equal amount of a second oxygen-centred radical. The O-centred radicals derived from carbonyl oximes decarboxylate giving access to a variety of carbon-centred and nitrogen-centred species. Methods developed for homolytically dissociating the oxime derivatives include UV irradiation, conventional thermal and microwave heating. Photoredox catalytic methods succeed well with specially functionalised oximes and this aspect is also reviewed. Attention is also drawn to the key contributions made by EPR spectroscopy, aided by DFT computations, in elucidating the structures and dynamics of the transient intermediates.

Visible-light-mediated, nitrogen-centered radical amination of tertiary alkyl halides under metal-free conditions to form α-tertiary amines

A mild and operationally convenient amino-functionalization of a range of tertiary alkyl halides that involves a N,N-diiodosulfonamide reactive species has been developed.

Visible light-mediated decarboxylative amination of indoline-2-carboxylic acids catalyzed by Rose Bengal

A visible-light-induced decarboxylative amination of N-protected indoline-2-carboxylic acids and azodicarboxylate esters catalyzed by Rose Bengal has been developed.

A versatile strategy for difunctionalization of carbon–carbon multiple bonds by photoredox catalysis

Photoredox catalysis is a versatile strategy for difunctionalization of carbon–carbon multiple bonds.

A visible-light photocatalytic N-radical cascade of hydrazones for the synthesis of dihydropyrazole-fused benzosultams

An efficient N-centred radical 5-exo cyclization/addition/aromatization cascade by cooperative visible light photoredox and cobalt catalysis is described, giving dihydropyrazole-fused benzosultams in satisfactory yields.