CuCl2 -Catalyzed α-Chloroketonation of Aromatic Alkenes via Visible-Light-Induced LMCT

Photoinduced Ligand-to-Metal Charge Transfer in Base-Metal Catalysis

The absorption of light by photosensitizers has been shown to offer novel reactive pathways through electronic excited state intermediates, complementing ground state mechanisms. Such strategies have been applied in both photocatalysis and photoredox catalysis, driven by generating reactive intermediates from their long-lived excited states. One developing area is photoinduced ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) catalysis, in which coordination of a ligand to a metal center and subsequent excitation with light results in the formation of a reactive radical and a reduced metal center. This mini review concerns the foundations and recent developments in ligand-to-metal charge transfer in transition metal catalysis focusing on the organic transformations made possible through this mechanism.

Selective α-oxidation of amides via visible-light-driven iron catalysis

Hydroxyl radicals (˙OH) as one of the highly reactive species can react unselectively with a wide range of chemicals. The ˙OH radicals are typically generated under harsh conditions. Herein, we report hydroxyl radical-induced selective N-α C(sp3)-H bond oxidation of amides under greener and mild conditions via an Fe(NO3)3·9H2O catalyst inner sphere pathway upon irradiation with a 30 W blue LED light strip (λ = 455 nm) using NaBrO3 as the oxidant. This protocol exhibited high chemoselectivity and excellent functional group tolerance. A preliminary mechanism investigation demonstrated that the iron catalyst afforded hydroxyl radicals via the visible-light-induced homolysis (VLIH) of iron complexes followed by a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) process to realize this transformation.

Visible light-mediated halogenation of organic compounds

The use of visible light and photoredox catalysis emerged as a powerful and sustainable tool for organic synthesis, showing high value for distinctly different ways of bond creation. Halogenated compounds are the cornerstone of contemporary organic synthesis: it is almost impossible to develop a route towards a pharmaceutical reagent, agrochemical, natural product, etc. without the involvement of halogen-containing intermediates. Moreover, the halogenated derivatives as final products became indispensable for drug discovery and materials science. The idea of this review is to understand and summarise the impact of visible light-promoted chemistry on halogenation and halofunctionalisation reactions.

Merging Cu(I) and Cu(II) Photocatalysis: Development of a Versatile Oxohalogenation Protocol for the Sequential Cu(II)/Cu(I)-Catalyzed Oxoallylation of Vinylarenes

A sequential photocatalytic strategy is developed via the merger of Cu(II)/Cu(I)-catalytic cycles for the oxoallylation of vinyl arenes via α-haloketones. The initial Cu(II)-photocatalyzed oxohalogenation exploits ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) to generate halide radicals from acyl halides utilizing air as a terminal oxidant and can be employed for the late-stage modification of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. α-Bromoketones obtained this way can be subsequently subjected to a one-pot Cu(I)-photocatalyzed allylation. This sequential photocatalysis proceeds in a highly regio- and chemoselective fashion and is inconsequential to the electronic nature of styrenes.