Oxidative Photoredox-Catalytic Activation of Aliphatic Nucleophiles for C(sp3)-C(sp2) Cross-Coupling Reactions

Broad Survey of Selectivity in the Heterogeneous Hydrogenation of Heterocycles

A broad survey of heterogeneous hydrogenation catalysts has been conducted for the reduction of heterocycles commonly found in pharmaceuticals. The comparative reactivity of these substrates is reported as a function of catalyst, temperature, and hydrogen pressure. This analysis provided several catalysts with complementary reactivity between substrates. We then explored a series of bisheterocyclic substrates that provided an intramolecular competition of heterocycle hydrogenation reactivity. In several cases, complete selectivity could be achieved for reduction of one heterocycle and isolated yields are reported. A general trend in reactivity is inferred in which quinoline is the most reactive, followed by pyrazine, then pyrrole and with pyridine being the least reactive.

Visible-Light-Driven Regioselective Decarboxylative Acylation of N-Methyl-3-phenylquinoxalin-2(1H)-one by Dual Palladium-Photoredox Catalysis Through C-H Activation

We report herein an efficient visible-light-promoted approach for the regioselective decarboxylative C-H acylation of N-methyl-3-phenylquinoxalin-2(1H)-ones using α-oxo-2-phenylacetic acids via dual palladium-photoredox catalysis. The reactions were carried out at room temperature in the presence of 24 W blue LEDs. The established protocol tolerated a wide range of functional groups and enabled the synthesis of several acylated N-methyl-3-phenylquinoxalin-2(1H)-ones in good to excellent yields. The proposed mechanism for this transformation was supported by control experiments.

Visible-light-induced deboronative alkylarylation of acrylamides with organoboronic acids

A visible-light-induced deboronative alkylarylation of acrylamides with boronic acids was developed via a tandem reaction process.

IrIII/NiII-Metallaphotoredox catalysis: the oxidation state modulation mechanism versus the radical mechanism

A novel oxidation state modulation mechanism, merging oxidative quenching (IrIII-*IrIII-IrIV-IrIII) and nickel catalytic (NiII-NiI-NiIII-NiI-NiII) cycles, has been illuminated unambiguously for photoredox-mediated iridium(iii)/nickel(ii) dual catalyzed C-O cross-coupling of aryl bromide and alcohol. Quinuclidine participates in a crucial proton-coupled electron transfer process to accelerate the reaction and regulate C-O coupling selectivity.

Cross-Coupling of Sodium Sulfinates with Aryl, Heteroaryl, and Vinyl Halides by Nickel/Photoredox Dual Catalysis

An efficient photoredox/nickel catalyzed sulfonylation reaction of aryl, heteroaryl, and vinyl halides has been achieved for the first time. This newly developed sulfonylation protocol provides a versatile method for the synthesis of diverse aromatic sulfones at room temperature and shows excellent functional group tolerance. The electrophilic coupling partners are not limited to aryl, heteroaryl, and vinyl bromides and iodides, but also includes less reactive aryl chlorides as suitable substrates for this transformation.

Photoinduced difunctionalization of 2,3-dihydrofuran for the efficient synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted tetrahydrofurans

An efficient photoinduced multicomponent difunctionalization of 2,3-dihydrofuran has been developed for the synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted tetrahydrofurans under mild reaction conditions.

Coupling of C(sp3)–H bonds with C(sp2)–O electrophiles: mild, general and selective

The general coupling of amine/ether C(sp³)–H bonds with alkenyl/(hetero)aryl C–O electrophiles is reported with high selectivity.

C-H functionalization of amines with aryl halides by nickel-photoredox catalysis

We describe the functionalization of α-amino C-H bonds with aryl halides using a combination of nickel and photoredox catalysis. This direct C-H, C-X coupling uses inexpensive and readily available starting materials to generate benzylic amines, an important class of bioactive molecules. Mechanistically, this method features the direct arylation of α-amino radicals mediated by a nickel catalyst. This reactivity is demonstrated for a range of aryl halides and N-aryl amines, with orthogonal scope to existing C-H activation and photoredox methodologies. We also report reactions with several complex aryl halides, demonstrating the potential utility of this approach in late-stage functionalization.

Radical Addition of Hydrazones by α-Bromo Ketones To Prepare 1,3,5-Trisubstituted Pyrazoles via Visible Light Catalysis

A novel efficient tandem reaction of hydrazones and α-bromo ketones is reported for the preparation of 1,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazoles by visible light catalysis. In this system, the monosubstituted hydrazones show wonderful reaction activity with alkyl radicals, generated from α-bromo ketones. A radical addition followed by intramolecular cyclization affords the important pyrazole skeleton in good to excellent yields. This efficient strategy under mild conditions with wide group tolerance provides a potential approach to the 1,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazoles.

Photoredox sheds new light on nickel catalysis: from carbon–carbon to carbon–heteroatom bond formation

Recent emergence of photoredox/nickel dual catalysis to generate carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bonds is highlighted.

Synthesis of (±)-Tetrabenazine by Visible Light Photoredox Catalysis

(±)-Tetrabenazine was synthesized in six steps from commercially available compounds. The key cyclization substrate was assembled rapidly via Baylis-Hillman and aza-Michael reactions. Annulation of the final ring was achieved through visible light photocatalysis, wherein carbon-carbon bond formation was driven by the oxidation of a tertiary amine. Solvent played a critical role in the photoredox cyclization outcome, whereas methanol led to a mixed ketal, acetonitrile/water (10:1) gave direct cyclization to (±)-tetrabenazine and occurred more rapidly.

Dual Catalytic Decarboxylative Allylations of α-Amino Acids and Their Divergent Mechanisms

The room temperature radical decarboxylative allylation of N-protected α-amino acids and esters has been accomplished via a combination of palladium and photoredox catalysis to provide homoallylic amines. Mechanistic investigations revealed that the stability of the α-amino radical, which is formed by decarboxylation, dictates the predominant reaction pathway between competing mechanisms.

Boron chemistry in a new light

Photocatalysis has recently opened up new avenues for the generation of radical species under visible light irradiation conditions. A particularly fascinating class of photocatalyzed transformations relies on the activation of stable boron species with visible-light since it allows the creation of boryl and/or carbon radicals through single electron transfer or energy transfer without the need for specific and costly equipment. This new paradigm has found numerous applications in synthetic organic chemistry, catalysis, and macromolecular chemistry. In this minireview, the concepts underlying photoactivation of boron-species as well as applications to the creation of C-H, C-C, C-O, B-C and B-S bond are discussed.

Highly Functionalized Cyclopentane Derivatives by Tandem Michael Addition/Radical Cyclization/Oxygenation Reactions

Densely functionalized cyclopentane derivatives with up to four consecutive stereocenters are assembled by a tandem Michael addition/single-electron transfer oxidation/radical cyclization/oxygenation strategy mediated by ferrocenium hexafluorophosphate, a recyclable, less toxic single-electron transfer oxidant. Ester enolates were coupled with α-benzylidene and α-alkylidene β-dicarbonyl compounds with switchable diastereoselectivity. This pivotal steering element subsequently controls the diastereoselectivity of the radical cyclization step. The substitution pattern of the radical cyclization acceptor enables a switch of the cyclization mode from a 5-exo pattern for terminally substituted olefin units to a 6-endo mode for internally substituted acceptors. The oxidative anionic/radical strategy also allows efficient termination by oxygenation with the free radical 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinoxyl, and two C-C bonds and one C-O bond are thus formed in the sequence. A stereochemical model is proposed that accounts for all of the experimental results and allows the prediction of the stereochemical outcome. Further transformations of the synthesized cyclopentanes are reported.

Regioselective chromatic orthogonality with light-activated metathesis catalysts

The ability to selectively guide consecutive chemical processes towards a preferred pathway by using light of different frequencies is an appealing concept. Herein we describe the coupling of two photochemical reactions, one the photoisomerization and consequent activation of a sulfur-chelated latent olefin-metathesis catalyst at 350 nm, and the other the photocleavage of a silyl protecting group at 254 nm. Depending on the steric stress exerted by a photoremovable neighboring chemical substituent, we demonstrate the selective formation of either five- or six-membered-ring frameworks by light-triggered ring-closing metathesis. The orthogonality of these light-induced reactions allows the initiation of these processes independently and in interchangeable order, according to the wavelength of light used to promote them.

Alkylation/1,2-aryl migration of α-aryl allylic alcohols with α-carbonyl alkyl bromides using visible-light photoredox catalysis

A visible-light-induced alkene difunctionalization strategy is described for 1,5-dicarbonyl compound synthesis through alkylation and 1,2-aryl migration.