Visible- and UV-Light-Induced Decarboxylative Radical Reactions of Benzoic Acids Using Organic Photoredox Catalysts

Generation and Application of Aryl Radicals Under Photoinduced Conditions

Photoinduced aryl radical generation is a powerful strategy in organic synthesis that facilitates the formation of diverse carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. The synthetic applications of photoinduced aryl radical formation in the synthesis of complex organic compounds, including natural products, physiologically significant molecules, and functional materials, have received immense attention. An overview of current developments in photoinduced aryl radical production methods and their uses in organic synthesis is given in this article. A generalized idea of how to choose the reagents and approach for the generation of aryl radicals is described, along with photoinduced techniques and associated mechanistic insights. Overall, this article offers a critical assessment of the mechanistic results as well as the selection of reaction parameters for specific reagents in the context of radical cascades, cross-coupling reactions, aryl radical functionalization, and selective C-H functionalization of aryl substrates.

Photoinduced Decarboxylative Borylation of N-Hydroxyphthalimide Esters with Hypoboric Acid

We developed a visible-light-driven photochemical transformation in which activated primary, secondary, and tertiary alkylcarboxylic acids were converted into the corresponding boronic esters in the absence of catechol and any added photocatalyst. The procedure relies on the utilization of hypoboric acid and redox-active esters of alkylcarboxylic acids to ensure a simple and economic procedure. Quantum chemical calculations and mechanistic considerations provide deeper insights into the mechanism of photochemical borylation reactions.

Organic Photoredox Reactions in Two-Molecule Photoredox System

Using our recent relevant results, this account shows the featured reactivities of two-molecule photoredox systems compared to one-molecule photoredox systems. The low efficiency of electron transfer processes, such as photoinduced and back-electron transfer, in the two-molecule photoredox system, furnishes unique products through different pathways. The facile replacement of photoredox catalysts with appropriate oxidation/reduction potentials in this system provides valuable insights into photoredox reactions.

Decarboxylative Iodination and Suzuki-Miyaura Coupling Reactions to Access Chiral 3,3'-Diaryl-1,1'-bi-2-naphthols

An efficient synthesis of the enantiomerically pure 3,3'-bis-arylated BINOLs is accomplished through decarboxylative iodination of the dimethyl ether derivative of BINOL-3,3'-dicarboxylic acid followed by Suzuki-Miyaura coupling using a one-pot protocol. The decarboxylative iodination is effected with the dimethyl ether derivative of BINOL-3,3'-dicarboxylic acid using iodine as a terminal oxidant and the cheaply available K3PO4 as a base under neat conditions. This protocol facilitated the introduction of the aryl group at the 3,3'-position on the binaphthyl system using aryl boronic acid through a palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction.

Formation of C(sp2)-C(sp3) Bonds Instead of Amide C-N Bonds from Carboxylic Acid and Amine Substrate Pools by Decarbonylative Cross-Electrophile Coupling

Carbon-heteroatom bonds, most often amide and ester bonds, are the standard method to link together two complex fragments because carboxylic acids, amines, and alcohols are ubiquitous and the reactions are reliable. However, C-N and C-O linkages are often a metabolic liability because they are prone to hydrolysis. While C(sp2)-C(sp3) linkages are preferable in many cases, methods to make them require different starting materials or are less functional-group-compatible. We show here a new, decarbonylative reaction that forms C(sp2)-C(sp3) bonds from the reaction of activated carboxylic acids (via 2-pyridyl esters) with activated alkyl groups derived from amines (via N-alkyl pyridinium salts) and alcohols (via alkyl halides). Key to this process is a remarkably fast, reversible oxidative addition/decarbonylation sequence enabled by pyridone and bipyridine ligands that, under reaction conditions that purge CO(g), lead to a selective reaction. The conditions are mild enough to allow coupling of more complex fragments, such as those used in drug development, and this is demonstrated in the coupling of a typical Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) anchor with common linkers via C-C linkages.

Chemoselective Decarboxylative Protonation Enabled by Cooperative Earth-Abundant Element Catalysis

Decarboxylative protonation is a general deletion tactic to replace polar carboxylic acid groups with hydrogen or its isotope. Current methods rely on the pre-activation of acids, non-sustainable hydrogen sources, and/or expensive/highly oxidizing photocatalysts, presenting challenges to their wide adoption. Here we show that a cooperative iron/thiol catalyst system can readily achieve this transformation, hydrodecarboxylating a wide range of activated and unactivated carboxylic acids and overcoming scope limitations in previous direct methods. The reaction is readily scaled in batch configuration and can be directly performed in deuterated solvent to afford high yields of d-incorporated products with excellent isotope incorporation efficiency; characteristics not attainable in previous photocatalyzed approaches. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate a radical mechanism and kinetic results of unactivated acids (KIE=1) are consistent with a light-limited reaction.

Decarboxylative sulfoximination of benzoic acids enabled by photoinduced ligand-to-copper charge transfer

Sulfoximines are synthetically important scaffolds and serve important roles in drug discovery. Currently, there is no solution to decarboxylative sulfoximination of benzoic acids; although thoroughly investigated, limited substrate scope and harsh reaction conditions still hold back traditional thermal aromatic decarboxylative functionalization. Herein, we realize the first decarboxylative sulfoximination of benzoic acids via photo-induced ligand to copper charge transfer (copper-LMCT)-enabled decarboxylative carbometalation. The transformation proceeds under mild reaction conditions, has a broad substrate scope, and can be applied to late-stage functionalization of complex small molecules.

Pyrimidopteridine-catalyzed Photo-mediated Hydroacetoxylation

Herein we report a photo-mediated formal addition of carboxylic acids to activated alkenes catalyzed by a pyrimidopteridine photoredox catalyst. The decarboxylation of aliphatic carboxylic acids upon single-electron oxidation is countered in the presence of electron-rich alkenes and a hydroacetoxylation is observed. Mechanistic proposals have been made based on CV measurements, competitive Stern-Volmer quenching and EPR experiments. Evidence that tetra-N-substituted pyrimidopteridines function as dual photoredox and hydrogen atom transfer catalyst was supported by spectroscopic means.

Decarboxylative Side-Chain Functionalization of Aspartic/Glutamic Acids Using Two-Molecule Photoredox Catalysts

The side-chain functionalization of aspartic/glutamic acid derivatives through photoinduced decarboxylation was achieved by using organic two-molecule photoredox catalysts without racemization under mild conditions. A facile process involving the preparation of substrates and photoinduced decarboxylative radical additions can provide easy access to the linked amino acids with carbohydrates and amino acids at the side chain.

9-Cyano-10-methoxycarbonylanthracene as a Visible Organic Photoredox Catalyst in the Two-Molecule Photoredox System

Visible-light-induced decarboxylative and deboronative reactions using two-molecule organic photoredox catalysts, namely, phenanthrene (Phen) and biphenyl (BP), as electron donors and 9-cyano-10-methoxycarbonylanthracene 1a as an electron acceptor were achieved. The high solubility of 1a significantly improved the reaction efficiency and product yield. In addition, the facile tuning of the oxidation potential of the electron-donor molecule via the replacement of Phen with BP enabled the application of the two-molecule photoredox system to a wide range of substrates.

Decarboxylative Borylation and Cross-Coupling of (Hetero)aryl Acids Enabled by Copper Charge Transfer Catalysis

We report a copper-catalyzed strategy for arylboronic ester synthesis that exploits photoinduced ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) to convert (hetero)aryl acids into aryl radicals amenable to ambient-temperature borylation. This near-UV process occurs under mild conditions, requires no prefunctionalization of the native acid, and operates broadly across diverse aryl, heteroaryl, and pharmaceutical substrates. We also report a one-pot procedure for decarboxylative cross-coupling that merges catalytic LMCT borylation and palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura arylation, vinylation, or alkylation with organobromides to access a range of value-added products. The utility of these protocols is highlighted through the development of a heteroselective double-decarboxylative C(sp²)-C(sp²) coupling sequence, pairing copper-catalyzed LMCT borylation and halogenation processes of two distinct acids (including pharmaceutical substrates) with subsequent Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling.

Direct decarboxylative Giese reactions

The quest to find milder and more sustainable methods to generate highly reactive, carbon-centred intermediates has led to a resurgence of interest in radical chemistry. In particular, carboxylic acids are seen as attractive radical precursors due their availability, low cost, diversity, and sustainability. Moreover, the corresponding nucleophilic carbon-radical can be easily accessed through a favourable radical decarboxylation process, extruding CO₂ as a traceless by-product. This review summarizes the recent progress on using carboxylic acids directly as convenient radical precursors for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds via the 1,4-radical conjugate addition (Giese) reaction.

Decarboxylative Hydroxylation of Benzoic Acids

Herein, we report the first decarboxylative hydroxylation to synthesize phenols from benzoic acids at 35 °C via photoinduced ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT)-enabled radical decarboxylative carbometalation. The aromatic decarboxylative hydroxylation is synthetically promising due to its mild conditions, broad substrate scope, and late-stage applications.

Phenyl Silicates with Substituted Catecholate Ligands: Synthesis, Structural Studies and Reactivity

While the generation of aryl radicals by photoredox catalysis under reductive conditions is well documented, it has remained challenging under an oxidative pathway. Because of the easy photo-oxidation of alkyl bis-catecholato silicates, a general study of phenyl silicates bearing substituted catecholate ligands has been achieved. The newly synthesized phenyl silicates have been fully characterized, and their reactivity has been explored. It was found that, thanks to the substitution of the catecholate moiety, notably with the 4-cyanocatecholato ligand, the phenyl radical could be generated and trapped. Computational studies provided a rationale for these findings.

Radical Decarboxylative Carbometalation of Benzoic Acids: A Solution to Aromatic Decarboxylative Fluorination

Abundant aromatic carboxylic acids exist in great structural diversity from nature and synthesis. To date, the synthetically valuable decarboxylative functionalization of benzoic acids is realized mainly by transition-metal-catalyzed decarboxylative cross couplings. However, the high activation barrier for thermal decarboxylative carbometalation that often requires 140 °C reaction temperature limits both the substrate scope as well as the scope of suitable reactions that can sustain such conditions. Numerous reactions, for example, decarboxylative fluorination that is well developed for aliphatic carboxylic acids, are out of reach for the aromatic counterparts with current reaction chemistry. Here, we report a conceptually different approach through a low-barrier photoinduced ligand to metal charge transfer (LMCT)-enabled radical decarboxylative carbometalation strategy, which generates a putative high-valent arylcopper(III) complex, from which versatile facile reductive eliminations can occur. We demonstrate the suitability of our new approach to address previously unrealized general decarboxylative fluorination of benzoic acids.

Light-triggered elimination of CO2 and absorption of O2 (artificial breathing reaction) in photolysis of 2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-indole derivatives

A new chromophore, 2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-indole (NPI), was synthesized as a potential photolabile protecting group. Caged benzoic acids featuring the NPI chromophore were synthesized as model compounds. Benzoic acid was released in moderate yields (~ 40-60%) upon photolysis of the caged benzoic acids without any additional chemical reagents. Interestingly, an aldehyde, 1-(5-(1-formyl-1H-indol-2-yl)-2-nitrophenyl)ethyl benzoate, was isolated in ≈ 20% together with benzoic acid (≈ 40%) in photolysis of a caged benzoic acid, 2-(2-(3-(1-(benzoyloxy)ethyl)-4-nitrophenyl)-1H-indol-1-yl)acetic acid. The functional group, CH₂COOH, at the indole nitrogen was transformed into the aldehyde group, CHO, under photolysis conditions in air. The similar photochemical transformation was observed in the photolysis of 2-(2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-indol-1-yl)acetic acid, in which the benzoate group is not attached at the nitrophenyl ring. Products analysis, transient absorption spectroscopy, and computational study suggested that intramolecular electron transfer is key for the elimination of CO₂ and absorption of O₂ for the formation of the aldehyde. The artificial breathing-type reaction can apply to transition metal-free oxidation of amino acids under mild conditions.

Light-induced borylation: developments and mechanistic insights

Organoboron compounds are very important derivatives because of their profound impacts on medicinal, biological as well as industrial applications. The development of several novel borylation methodologies has achieved momentous interest among synthetic chemists. In this scenario, eco-friendly light-induced borylation is progressively becoming one of the best synthetic tools in recent days to prepare organoboronic ester and acid derivatives based on green chemistry rules. In this article, we have discussed all the UV- and visible-light-induced borylation strategies developed in the last decade. Furthermore, special attention is given to the mechanisms of these borylation methodologies for better understanding of reaction insights.

Generation of aryl radicals by redox processes. Recent progress in the arylation methodology

Arylation methods based on the generation and use of aryl radicals have been a rapidly growing field of research in recent years and currently represent a powerful strategy for carbon – carbon and carbon – heteroatom bond formation. The progress in this field is related to advances in the methods for generation of aryl radicals. The currently used aryl radical precursors include aryl halides, aryldiazonium and diaryliodonium salts, arylcarboxylic acids and their derivatives, arylboronic acids, arylhydrazines, organosulfur(II, VI) compounds and some other compounds. Aryl radicals are generated under mild conditions by single electron reduction or oxidation of precursors induced by conventional reagents, visible light or electric current. A crucial role in the development of the radical arylation methodology belongs to photoredox processes either catalyzed by transition metal complexes or organic dyes or proceeding without catalysts. Unlike the conventional transition metal-catalyzed arylation methods, radical arylation reactions proceed very often at room temperature and have high functional group tolerance. Without claiming to be exhaustive, this review covers the most important advances of the current decade in the generation and synthetic applications of (het)aryl radicals. Examples of reactions are given and mechanistic insights are highlighted.

The bibliography includes 341 references.

Phenylene-bridged bis(benzimidazolium) (BBIm2+): a dicationic organic photoredox catalyst

A dicationic photoredox catalyst composed of phenylene-bridged bis(benzimidazolium) (BBIm2+) was designed, synthesised and demonstrated to promote the photochemical decarboxylative hydroxylation and dimerisation of carboxylic acids. The catalytic activity of BBIm2+ was higher than that for a monocation analogue, suggesting that the dicationic nature of BBIm2+ plays a key role in these decarboxylative reactions. The rate constant for the decay of the triplet-triplet absorption of the excited BBIm2+ increased with increasing concentration of the carboxylate anion with a saturated dependence, suggesting that photoinduced electron transfer occurs within the ion pair complex composed of the triplet excited state of BBIm2+ and a carboxylate anion.

Single Electron Activation of Aryl Carboxylic Acids

Aryl carboxylic acids are stable and readily available in great structural diversity both from natural and well-established synthetic procedures, which make them promising starting materials in organic synthesis. The conversion of benzoic acids into high-value molecules is of great importance and have gained much interest of synthetic chemists. The recent development of single-electron (1e⁻) activation strategy has been esteemed as a complementary method for the transformation of benzoic acids. In this context, carboxylate groups can be selectively transferred into reactive aryl carboxylic radical, aryl radical, and acyl radical by electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, or in the presence of some SET oxidants. Based on these radical species, remarkable advancements have been achieved for the rapid formation of various chemical bonds over the past 10 years. In this review, we summarize recent advances in single electron activation of aryl carboxylic acids, with an emphasis on reaction scope, catalytic system, limitation, and underlying reaction mechanism.