Eosin Y-catalyzed visible-light-mediated aerobic oxidative cyclization of N,N-dimethylanilines with maleimides

Embracing heterogeneous photocatalysis: evolution of photocatalysts in annulation of dimethylanilines and maleimides

Recent advances in visible-light-promoted construction of tetrahydroquinolines from dimethylanilines and maleimides are documented. Homogeneous and heterogeneous photocatalytic systems, as well as the reaction mechanism, are emphasized. The mechanism of this photocatalytic annulation reaction is quite clear, i.e., dimethylanilines and maleimides serve as the radical precursors and radical acceptors, respectively. This annulation reaction could serve as an excellent platform for evaluating novel oxidative heterogeneous photocatalytic systems, which could further inspire chemists in this field to develop more efficient photocatalytic systems. Significant opportunities are expected in the future for heterogeneous photocatalysis strategies.

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.

Aerobic Oxidative EDA Catalysis: Synthesis of Tetrahydroquinolines Using an Organocatalytic EDA Active Acceptor

A catalytic electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex for the visible-light-driven annulation reaction between activated alkenes and N,N-substituted dialkyl anilines is reported. The key photoactive complex is formed in situ between dialkylated anilines as donors and 1,2-dibenzoylethylene as a catalytic acceptor. The catalytic acceptor is regenerated by aerobic oxidation. Investigations into the mechanism are provided, revealing a rare example of a catalytic acceptor in photoactive EDA complexes that can give access to selective functionalization of aromatic amines under mild photochemical conditions.

Switchable, Reagent-Controlled Diastereodivergent Photocatalytic Carbocyclisation of Imine-Derived α-Amino Radicals

A reagent‐controlled stereodivergent carbocyclisation of aryl aldimine‐derived, photocatalytically generated, α‐amino radicals possessing adjacent conjugated alkenes, affording either bicyclic or tetracyclic products, is described. Under net reductive conditions using commercial Hantzsch ester, the α‐amino radical species underwent a single stereoselective cyclisation to give trans‐configured amino‐indane structures in good yield, whereas using a substituted Hantzsch ester as a milder reductant afforded cis‐fused tetracyclic tetrahydroquinoline frameworks, resulting from two consecutive radical cyclisations. Judicious choice of the reaction conditions allowed libraries of both single and dual cyclisation products to be synthesised with high selectivity, notable predictability, and good‐to‐excellent yields. Computational analysis employing DFT revealed the reaction pathway and mechanistic rationale behind this finely balanced yet readily controlled photocatalytic system.

Visible-Light-Induced Synthesis of 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroquinolines through Formal [4+2] Cycloaddition of Acyclic α,β-Unsaturated Amides and Imides with N,N-Dialkylanilines

1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroquinolines should be applicable to the development of new pharmaceutical agents. A facile synthesis of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines that is achieved by a photoinduced formal [4+2] cycloaddition reaction of acyclic α,β-unsaturated amides and imides with N,N-dialkylanilines under visible-light irradiation, in which a new Ir^III complex photosensitizer, a thiourea, and an oxidant act cooperatively in promoting the reaction, is reported. The photoreaction enables the synthesis of a wide variety of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines, while controlling the trans/cis diastereoselectivity (>99:1) and constructing contiguous stereogenic centers. A chemoselective cleavage of an acyclic imide auxiliary is demonstrated.

Self-assembled metallasupramolecular cages towards light harvesting systems for oxidative cyclization

Designing artificial light harvesting systems with the ability to utilize the output energy for fruitful application in aqueous medium is an intriguing topic for the development of clean and sustainable energy. We report here facile synthesis of three prismatic molecular cages as imminent supramolecular optoelectronic materials via two-component coordination-driven self-assembly of a new tetra-imidazole donor (L) in combination with 180°/120° di-platinum(ii) acceptors. Self-assembly of 180° trans-Pt(ii) acceptors A1 and A2 with L leads to the formation of cages Pt4 L 2(1a) and Pt8 L 2(2a) respectively, while 120°-Pt(ii) acceptor A3 with L gives the Pt8 L 2(3a) metallacage. PF6 - analogues (1b, 2b and 3b) of the metallacages possess a high molar extinction coefficient and large Stokes shift. 1b-3b are weakly emissive in dilute solution but showed aggregation induced emission (AIE) in a water/MeCN mixture as well as in the solid state. AIE active 2b and 3b in aqueous (90% water/MeCN mixture) medium act as donors for fabricating artificial light harvesting systems via Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) with organic dye rhodamine-B (RhB) with high energy efficiency and good antenna effect. The metallacages 2b and 3b represent an interesting platform to fabricate new generation supramolecular aqueous light harvesting systems with high antenna effect. Finally, the harvested energy of the LHSs (2b + RhB) and (3b + RhB) was utilized successfully for efficient visible light induced photo-oxidative cross coupling cyclization of N,N-dimethylaniline (4) with a series of N-alkyl/aryl maleimides (5) in aqueous acetonitrile with dramatic enhancement in yields compared to the reactions with RhB or cages alone.

Pt(II)-Decorated Covalent Organic Framework for Photocatalytic Difluoroalkylation and Oxidative Cyclization Reactions

A new covalent organic framework (COF) based on imine bonds was assembled from 2-(4-formylphenyl)-5-formylpyridine and 1,3,6,8-tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)pyrene, which showed an interesting dual-pore structure with high crystallinity. Postmetallation of the COF with Pt occurred selectively at the N donor (imine and pyridyl) in the larger pores. The metallated COF served as an excellent recyclable heterogeneous photocatalyst for decarboxylative difluoroalkylation and oxidative cyclization reactions.

Fullerene soot and a fullerene nanodispersion as recyclable heterogeneous off-the-shelf photocatalysts

Metal-free heterogeneous photocatalysis, which requires no prior catalyst immobilization or chemical modification and can operate in green solvents, represents a highly-sought after, yet currently still underdeveloped, synthetic method. In this report we present a comparative study which aims to evaluate the use of unmodified fullerene soot and a fullerene nanodispersion as non-soluble and quasi-soluble carbon-based photocatalysts, respectively, for sulfide oxidation and other transformations using oxygen as an oxidant in ethanol. A wide range of sulfoxides were successfully prepared with good yields and chemoselectivity using a very low catalyst loading. The fullerene soot photocatalyst is easily recovered and shows excellent stability of the catalytic properties. The reaction was shown to proceed via a singlet oxygen pathway and has a high selectivity for aliphatic sulfides, whereas the oxidation of thioanisoles can be accomplished using an amine mediated electron transfer mechanism. The applicability of the fullerene nanodispersion as a general purpose photocatalyst was demonstrated in radical cyclization, boronic acid oxidation and imine formation reactions.

Visible-Light-Driven Stereoselective Annulation of Alkyl Anilines and Dibenzoylethylenes via Electron Donor-Acceptor Complexes

A catalyst-free, stereoselective visible-light-driven annulation reaction between alkenes and N,N-substituted dialkyl anilines for the synthesis of substituted tetrahydroquinolines is presented. The reaction is driven by the photoexcitation of an electron donor–acceptor (EDA) complex, and the resulting products are obtained in good to high yields with complete diastereoselectivity. Mechanistic rationale and photochemical characterization of the EDA-complex are provided.

Cercosporin-photocatalyzed sp3 (C-H) activation for the synthesis of pyrrolo[3,4-c]quinolones

We reported a new method that visible light along with cercosporin, one of the naturally occurring perylenequinonoid pigments with excellent properties of photosensitization, photocatalyzed sp³ (C-H) activation for the synthesis of pyrrolo[3,4-c]quinolones through the annulation of anilines and maleimides under mild conditions.

Redox-Selective Iron Catalysis for α-Amino C-H Bond Functionalization via Aerobic Oxidation

Single-electron oxidation and α-deprotonation of tertiary anilines using Fe(phen)₃(PF₆)₃ afford α-aminoalkyl radicals, which can be coupled with electrophilic partners to afford various tetrahydroquinolines. Mechanistically, the Fe(phen)_n^2+/3+ catalytic cycle is maintained by O₂ or a TBHP oxidant, and the presence of the oxygen bound iron complex, Fe(III)-OO(H), was elucidated by electron paramagnetic resonance and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. This redox-selective nonheme iron catalyst behaves similarly to bioinspired heme iron catalysts.

Recent Advances on Metal-Free, Visible-Light- Induced Catalysis for Assembling Nitrogen- and Oxygen-Based Heterocyclic Scaffolds

Heterocycles are important class of structures, which occupy a major space in the domain of natural and bioactive compounds. For this reason, development of new synthetic strategies for their controllable synthesis became of special interests. The development of novel photoredox systems with wide-range application in organic synthesis is particularly interesting. Organic dyes have been widely applied as photoredox catalysts in organic synthesis. Their low costs compared to the typical photocatalysts based on transition metals make them an excellent alternative. This review describes proceedings since 2015 in the area of application of metal-free, visible-light-mediated catalysis for assembling various heterocyclic scaffolds containing five- and six-membered rings bearing nitrogen and oxygen heteroatoms.

Progress in the Chemistry of Tetrahydroquinolines

Tetrahydroquinoline is one of the most important simple nitrogen heterocycles, being widespread in nature and present in a broad variety of pharmacologically active compounds. This Review summarizes the progress achieved in the chemistry of tetrahydroquinolines, with emphasis on their synthesis, during the period from mid-2010 to early 2018.

Oxidative Deprotection of p-Methoxybenzyl Ethers via Metal-Free Photoredox Catalysis

An efficient and greener deprotection method for p-methoxybenzyl (PMB) ethers using a metal-free visible light photoredox catalyst and air and ammonium persulfate as the terminal oxidants is presented. Various functional groups and protecting groups were tolerated in the developed method to achieve good to excellent yields in short reaction times. Significantly, the developed method was compatible with PMB ethers derived from primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols and a gram-scale reaction. Mechanistic studies support a proposed reaction mechanism that involves single electron oxidation of the PMB ether.

Construction of N-Heterocycles through Cyclization of Tertiary Amines

N-Heterocycles have been found in a large number of natural products, drug molecules, and bioactive compounds, and they thereby play a vital role in diverse research disciplines including drug discovery, organic synthesis, chemical biology, and material science. To this end, the development of new methods and strategies for the construction of N-heterocyclic frameworks is arguably one of the most dynamic and significant research areas in organic synthesis. One of these powerful approaches to the synthesis of N-heterocycles is to establish cyclization reactions based on the transformation of tertiary amines, which has emerged as an attractive research topic. In this Minireview, the significant achievements in the construction of N-heterocycles through cyclization of tertiary amines are highlighted and a comprehensive overview of the rational design, development, and application of these synthetic methods is presented.

Alizarin red S–TiO2-catalyzed cascade C(sp3)–H to C(sp2)–H bond formation/cyclization reactions toward tetrahydroquinoline derivatives under visible light irradiation

A very low amount of organic dye (Alizarin red S) sensitized TiO₂ and it was successfully used to catalyze cascade C(sp³)–H to C(sp²)–H bond formation/cyclization reactions under visible light irradiation.

Photoredox-catalyzed procedure for carbamoyl radical generation: 3,4-dihydroquinolin-2-one and quinolin-2-one synthesis

A reductive approach for carbamoyl radical generation from N-hydroxyphthalimido oxamides under photoredox catalysis is outlined. This strategy was applied to the synthesis of 3,4-dihydroquinolin-2-ones via the intermolecular addition/cyclization of carbamoyl radicals with electron deficient olefins in a mild, redox-neutral manner. Under a general set of reaction conditions, diversely substituted 3,4-dihydroquinolin-2-ones, including spirocyclic systems can be prepared. By using chlorine-substituted olefins, aromatic quinolin-2-ones can also be accessed.

Visible light mediated cyclization of tertiary anilines with maleimides using a supported iridium complex catalyst

The synthesis of a novel supported iridium complex catalyst and its efficient application in the visible light mediated cyclization of tertiary anilines and maleimides.

Synthetic Utilization of α-Aminoalkyl Radicals and Related Species in Visible Light Photoredox Catalysis

Single electron oxidation of amines provides an efficient way to access synthetically useful α-aminoalkyl radicals as reactive intermediates. After the single electron oxidation of amines, fragmentation of the resulting radical cations proceeds to give the α-aminoalkyl radicals along with generation of a proton. In the synthetic utilization of the α-aminoalkyl radicals, precise control of single electron transfer is essential, because further oxidation of the α-aminoalkyl radicals occurs more easily than the starting amines and the α-aminoalkyl radicals are converted into the corresponding iminium ions. As a result, photoinduced single electron transfer is quite attractive in the synthetic utilization of the α-aminoalkyl radicals. Recently, visible light-photoredox catalysis using transition metal-polypyridyl complexes and other dyes as catalysts has attracted considerable attention, where useful molecular transformations can be achieved through the single electron transfer process between the excited catalysts and substrates. In this context, MacMillan et al. ( Science 2011, 334 , 1114 , DOI: 10.1126/science.1213920 ) reported an aromatic substitution reaction of cyanoarenes with amines, where α-aminoalkyl radicals work as key reactive intermediates. Pandey and Reiser et al. ( Org. Lett. 2012 , 14 , 672 , DOI: 10.1021/ol202857t ) and our group ( Nishibayashi et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012 , 134 , 3338 , DOI: 10.1021/ja211770y ) independently reported reactions of amines with α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds, where addition of α-aminoalkyl radicals to alkenes is a key step. After these earliest examples, nowadays, a variety of transformations using the α-aminoalkyl radicals as reactive intermediates have been reported by many groups. The α-aminoalkyl radicals are usually produced from amines by single electron oxidation and the subsequent deprotonation of the C-H bond adjacent to the nitrogen atom. In addition, the α-aminoalkyl radicals are also produced from α-silylamines and α-amino acids in high efficiency through desilylation or decarboxylation after the single electron oxidation. The generated α-aminoalkyl radicals are utilized in a variety of reaction systems. In fact, reactions based on the addition of α-aminoalkyl radicals to alkenes and other unsaturated bonds have been extensively studied. Aromatic and other types of substitution reactions have also been investigated. Some of these transformations are achieved by combination of photoredox catalysts and other catalysts such as Brønsted and Lewis acids, organocatalysts, and transition metal catalysts. It is also noteworthy that the enantioselective reactions have been accomplished by combination of photoredox catalysts and chiral catalysts. The strategy for the generation of α-aminoalkyl radicals can be applied to utilize other types of alkyl radicals. In the generation of α-aminoalkyl radicals, the bond dissociation of the radical cations occurs at the α-position of amines. In relation to this process, synthetic utilization of other types of alkyl radicals generated by the bond dissociation of the radical cations at a remote position has been also investigated. These alkyl radicals have been applied to molecular transformations in a manner similar to the α-aminoalkyl radicals. Recently, organic synthesis using the α-aminoalkyl radicals and related alkyl radicals has been studied extensively. In this Account, we describe recent advances in photoredox-catalyzed synthetic utilization of these alkyl radicals.

N-Hydroxyphthalimide: a new photoredox catalyst for [4+1] radical cyclization of N-methylanilines with isocyanides

A highly regioselective synthesis of 3-iminodihydroindoles using N-methylanilines and isocyanides at room temperature is described. The protocol utilizes N-hydroxyphthalimide as a new single electron transfer photoredox catalyst.

Iron-catalyzed oxidative sp3 carbon–hydrogen bond functionalization of 3,4-dihydro-1,4-benzoxazin-2-ones

Iron-catalyzed sp³ C–H bond functionalization of benzoxazinones has been developed and applied for the synthesis of natural product cephalandole A.

Recent synthetic additions to the visible light photoredox catalysis toolbox

The boom in visible light photoredox catalysis (VLPC) research has demonstrated that this novel synthetic approach is here to stay. VLPC enables reactive radical intermediates to be catalytically generated at ambient temperature, a feat not generally allowed through traditional pyrolysis- or radical initiator-based methodologies. VLPC has vastly extended the range of substrates and reaction schemes that have been traditionally the domain of radical reactions. In this review the photophysics background of VLPC will be briefly discussed, followed by a report on recent inroads of VLPC into decarboxylative couplings and radical C-H functionalization of aromatic compounds. The bulk of the review will be dedicated to advances in synergistic catalysis involving VLPC, namely the combination of photoredox catalysis with organocatalysis, including β-functionalization of carbonyl groups, functionalization of weak aliphatic C-H bonds, and anti-Markovnikov hydrofunctionalization of alkenes; dual catalysis with gold or with nickel, photoredox catalysis as an oxidation promoter in transition metal catalysis, and acid-catalyzed enantioselective radical addition to π systems.

Electrosynthesis of enaminones directly from methyl ketones and amines with nitromethane as a carbon source

An efficient and mechanistically different method for the electrosynthesis of enaminone directly from methyl ketones, amines and nitromethane was developed.