Novel Oxidative Ugi Reaction for the Synthesis of Highly Active, Visible-Light, Imide-Acridinium Organophotocatalysts

Tuning Tetramethoxy-acridiniums for Fluorophores and Organic Photoredox Catalysis

Tetramethoxy substituted alkyl-acridiniums (TMAcr+) are readily available by facile nucleophilic aromatic substitution on tris(2,6-dimethoxyphenyl)carbenium, but are non-fluorescent, presumably due to intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer quenching. In this work we introduce electron withdrawing groups by electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions, leading to fluorescence turn-on. The acridiniums are moderately fluorescent (φf=20 %) with long fluorescene lifetimes (τf=9 ns). The positive excited state reduction potentials (E*red=+1.6 V) make the TMAcr+ excellent electron acceptors in the excited state, and efficient reductive photoredox catalysts able to oxidize a broad range of substrates.

Unlocking Photocatalytic Activity of Acridinium Salts by Anion-Binding Co-Catalysis

The in situ generation of active photoredox organic catalysts upon anion-binding co-catalysis by making use of the ionic nature of common photosensitizers is reported. Hence, the merge of anion-binding and photocatalysis permitted the modulation of the photocatalytic activity of simple acridinium halide salts, building an effective anion-binding - photoredox ion pair complex able to promote a variety of visible light driven transformations, such as anti-Markovnikov addition to olefins, Diels-Alder and the desilylative C-C bond forming reactions. Anion-binding studies, together with steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy analysis, supported the postulated ion pair formation between the thiourea hydrogen-bond donor organocatalyst and the acridinium salt, which proved essential for unlocking the photocatalytic activity of the photosensitizer.

Dicationic Acridinium/Carbene Hybrids as Strongly Oxidizing Photocatalysts

A new design concept for organic, strongly oxidizing photocatalysts is described based upon dicationic acridinium/carbene hybrids. A highly modular synthesis of such hybrids is presented, and the dications are utilized as novel, tailor-made photoredox catalysts in the direct oxidative C-N coupling. Under optimized conditions, benzene and even electron-deficient arenes can be oxidized and coupled with a range of N-heterocycles in high to excellent yields with a single low-energy photon per catalytic turnover, while commonly used acridinium photocatalysts are not able to perform the challenging oxidation step. In contrast to traditional photocatalysts, the hybrid photocatalysts reported here feature a reversible two-electron redox system with regular or inverted redox potentials for the two-electron transfer. The different oxidation states could be isolated and structurally characterized supported by NMR, EPR, and X-ray analysis. Mechanistic experiments employing time-resolved emission and transient absorption spectroscopy unambiguously reveal the outstanding excited-state potential of our best-performing catalyst (+2.5 V vs SCE), and they provide evidence for mechanistic key steps and intermediates.

Visible-light acridinium-based organophotoredox catalysis in late-stage synthetic applications

The field of photoredox catalysis has been transformed by the use of organic photocatalysts, which give access to re-activities that were previously only possible with transition-metal photocatalysts. Recent advancements in the use of an acridinium photocatalyst in organic synthesis are covered in this review. Both the late-stage functionalization of biorelevant molecules and the activation of inert chemical bonds are explored, with an emphasis on their mechanistic features.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Atropisomeric Acridinium Salts by the Catalyst-Controlled Cyclization of ortho-Quinone Methide Iminiums

Quinone methides are fundamental intermediates for a wide range of reactions in which catalyst stereocontrol is often achieved by hydrogen bonding. Herein, we describe the feasibility of an intramolecular Friedel-Crafts 6π electrocyclization through ortho-quinone methide iminiums stereocontrolled by a contact ion pair. A disulfonimide catalyst activates racemic trichloroacetimidate substrates and imparts stereocontrol in the cyclization step, providing a new avenue for selective ortho-quinone methide iminium functionalization. A highly stereospecific oxidation readily transforms the enantioenriched acridanes into rotationally restricted acridiniums. Upon ion exchange, the method selectively affords atropisomeric acridinium tetrafluoroborate salts in high yields and an enantioenrichment of up to 93 : 7 e.r. We envision that ion-pairing catalysis over ortho-quinone methide iminiums enables the selective synthesis of a diversity of heterocycles and aniline derivatives with distinct stereogenic units.

Metal-free oxoammonium salt-mediated C(sp3)-H oxidative Ugi-azide multicomponent reaction

In this work, an efficient oxidative C(sp³)-H Ugi-azide multicomponent reaction of cyclic benzylic amines to the corresponding α-tetrazolo compounds using a TEMPO salt as mild hydride abstractor-type oxidant is reported. This simple one-pot approach allows the direct functionalization of N-heterocycles such as tetrahydroisoquinolines with a variety of isocyanides and NaN₃ as a practical azide source. The reaction proceeds at room temperature and without the need of acid additives, allowing for the use of sensitive substrates, while minimizing isocyanide polymerization to provide the desired heterocycle-tetrazole products in synthetically useful yields (up to 99%).

Photoinduced Arylation of Acridinium Salts: Tunable Photoredox Catalysts for C-O Bond Cleavage

A photoinduced arylation of N-substituted acridinium salts has been developed and has exhibited a high functional group tolerance (e.g., halogen, nitrile, ketone, ester, and nitro). A broad range of well-decorated C9-arylated acridinium-based catalysts with fine-tuned photophysical and photochemical properties, namely, excited-state lifetimes and redox potentials have been synthetized in a one-step procedure. These functionalized acridinium salts were later evaluated in the photoredox-catalyzed fragmentation of 1,2-diol derivatives (lignin models). Among them, 2-bromophenyl substituted N-methyl acridinium has outperformed all photoredox catalysts, including commercial Fukuzumi's catalyst, for the selective C^βO-Ar bond cleavage of diol monoarylethers to afford 1,2-diols in good yields.

Electrochemical Benzylic C-H Functionalization with Isocyanides

We report the challenging direct carbamoylation or cyanation of benzylic C(sp³)-H bonds with an isocyanide via an electrochemical process giving rise to structures that are encountered in several biologically relevant compounds and drugs. This transformation proceeds under mild conditions without the need for any external oxidant and avoids the necessity to start from a prefunctionalized benzylic substrate or the deployment of the cation pool method. The anodic oxidation of the benzylic position and the subsequent addition of the isocyanide lead to the formation of a C-C bond and to a nitrilium cation that hydrolyzes to yield α-aryl acetamide derivatives, whereas the elimination of a t-butyl cation delivers α-aryl acetonitrile derivatives.

Protodesilylation of Arylsilanes by Visible-Light Photocatalysis

The first visible-light-mediated photocatalytic, metal- and base-free protodesilylation of arylsilanes is presented. The C(sp²)-Si bond cleavage process is catalyzed by a 5 mol % loading of a commercially available acridinium salt upon blue-light irradiation. Two simple approaches have been identified employing either aerobic or hydrogen atom transfer cocatalytic conditions, which enable the efficient and selective desilylation of a broad variety of simple and complex arylsilanes under mild conditions.

The advent and development of organophotoredox catalysis

In the last decade, photoredox catalysis has unlocked unprecedented reactivities in synthetic organic chemistry. Seminal advancements in the field have involved the use of well-studied metal complexes as photoredox catalysts (PCs). More recently, the synthetic community, looking for more sustainable approaches, has been moving towards the use of purely organic molecules. Organic PCs are generally cheaper and less toxic, while allowing their rational modification to an increased generality. Furthermore, organic PCs have allowed reactivities that are inaccessible by using common metal complexes. Likewise, in synthetic catalysis, the field of photocatalysis is now experiencing a green evolution moving from metal catalysis to organocatalysis. In this feature article, we discuss and critically comment on the scientific reasons for this ongoing evolution in the field of photoredox catalysis, showing how and when organic PCs can efficiently replace their metal counterparts.

Strategies to Generate Nitrogen-centered Radicals That May Rely on Photoredox Catalysis: Development in Reaction Methodology and Applications in Organic Synthesis

For more than 70 years, nitrogen-centered radicals have been recognized as potent synthetic intermediates. This review is a survey designed for use by chemists engaged in target-oriented synthesis. This review summarizes the recent paradigm shift in access to and application of N-centered radicals enabled by visible-light photocatalysis. This shift broadens and streamlines approaches to many small molecules because visible-light photocatalysis conditions are mild. Explicit attention is paid to innovative advances in N-X bonds as radical precursors, where X = Cl, N, S, O, and H. For clarity, key mechanistic data is noted, where available. Synthetic applications and limitations are summarized to illuminate the tremendous utility of photocatalytically generated nitrogen-centered radicals.

Acridinium Salts and Cyanoarenes as Powerful Photocatalysts: Opportunities in Organic Synthesis

The use of organic photocatalysts has revolutionized the field of photoredox catalysis, as it allows access to reactivities that were traditionally restricted to transition-metal photocatalysts. This Minireview reports recent developments in the use of acridinium ions and cyanoarene derivatives in organic synthesis. The activation of inert chemical bonds as well as the late-stage functionalization of biorelevant molecules are discussed, with a special focus on their mechanistic aspects.

Electrochemical TEMPO-Catalyzed Oxidative Ugi-Type Reaction

Oxidative isocyanide-based multicomponent reactions (oxidative IMCRs) are very useful tools for the rapid construction of molecular diversity starting from readily available and stable substrates. Despite all their benefits, such multicomponent reactions are underdeveloped and strictly limited to 3-component processes. Indeed, in the presence of several reaction partners, the oxidation event needs to be rigorously chemoselective, which becomes incredibly more intricate as the number of reactive components increases. Nonetheless, we could overcome this significant pitfall and reach the first oxidative Ugi-type 4-IMCR by capitalizing on a very mild and green TEMPO-catalyzed electro-oxidation process. Employing alcohols as aldehyde surrogates and in the notable absence of any supporting electrolyte, this transformation proved to be extremely chemoselective in the presence of an amine and was compatible with a wide range of alcohols, amines, isocyanides, and carboxylic acids.

Copper-Catalyzed N,N-Diarylation of Amides for the Construction of 9,10-Dihydroacridine Structure and Applications in the Synthesis of Diverse Nitrogen-Embedded Polyacenes

We reported herein CuI/DMEDA catalyzed N,N-diarylation reaction of amides with various di(o-bromoaryl)methanes to produce diverse 9,10-dihydroacridine derivatives. The resulting 9,10-dihydroacridine derivatives were oxidized selectively under mild conditions to afford acridine, acridinone, and acridinium derivatives. The copper-catalyzed N,N-diarylation reaction coupled with oxidative aromatization reaction enabled the facile construction of nitrogen atom-embedded tetracenes and pentacenes of different ortho-fused patterns. The luminescence properties, especially the effect of fusion pattern on fluorescence emission of acquired N-polycenes, were also demonstrated.

Visible light photocatalysis – from racemic to asymmetric activation strategies

The most significant contributions towards enantioselective photocatalysis have been described with a special emphasis on the various activation strategies.

Design and application of aminoacridinium organophotoredox catalysts

Recent developments in preparative photocatalysis have reshaped synthetic strategies and now represent an integral part of current organic chemistry. Due to their favourable electrochemical and photophysical properties, the nowadays most frequently used photocatalysts are based on precious Ru- and Ir-polypyridyl complexes. Apart from that, organic catalysts such as the acridinium salts are now commonly employed to complement transition metals to provide potentially sustainable strategies amenable to large-scale synthesis. In this feature article, the design, synthesis and application of aminoacridinium photoredox catalysts as well as their exceptionally broad range of redox properties are highlighted. Due to their modularity, this burgeoning class of organophotocatalysts is anticipated to contribute significantly to synthetic methodology development and the translation to a wide range of innovative implementations.

Visible light-mediated organophotocatalyzed C-H bond functionalization reactions

Over the last decade, a variety of methodologies for the direct functionalization of C-H bonds have been developed. Among others, visible light photoredox reactions have recently emerged as one of the most efficient and highly selective processes for the direct introduction of a functionality into organic molecules. Easy reaction setups, as well as mild reaction conditions, make this approach superior to other methodologies applying transition metals or strong oxidants, in terms of both costs and substrate and functional group tolerance. In this review, the recent developments in organophotocatalyzed C-H bond functionalization reactions are presented.

Metal-free desilylative C–C bond formation by visible-light photoredox catalysis

A novel metal-free desilylative C–C bond formation from simple organosilanes by visible-light acridinium photoredox catalysis is presented.