Norrish type II reactions of acyl azolium salts

Photo-Catalyzed Acyl Azolium Promoted Selective α-C(sp3 )-H Acylation of Acetone via HAT: Access to Thermodynamically Less Favoured (Z)-α,β-Unsaturated Ketones

Mono α-acylation of acetone has been achieved for the first time by reacting with bench-stable acyl azolium salts under violet-LED light at room temperature. The intermolecular hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from acetone to triplet state of azolium salts under violet LED irradiation resulted in thermodynamically less favourable (Z)-α,β-unsaturated ketones with up to 99 : 1 selectivity via C-C bond formation. This compelling protocol access the desired α-C(sp3 )-H acylation product under metal-, ligand- and oxidant-free conditions on a wide range of substrates.

Photoredox-Catalyzed Radical-Radical Coupling of Potassium Trifluoroborates with Acyl Azoliums

Potassium trifluoroborates have gained significant utility as coupling partners in organic synthesis, particularly in the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction. Recently, they have also been used as radical precursors under oxidative conditions to generate carbon-centered radicals. These versatile reagents have found new applications in photoredox catalysis, including radical substitution, conjugate addition reactions, and transition metal dual catalysis. In addition, this photomediated redox neutral process has enabled radical-radical coupling with persistent radicals in the absence of a metal, and this process remains to be fully explored. In this study, we report the radical-radical coupling of benzylic potassium trifluoroborate salts with isolated acyl azolium triflates, which are persistent radical precursors. The reaction is catalyzed by an organic photocatalyst and forms isolable tertiary alcohol species. These compounds can be transformed into a range of substituted ketone products by simple treatment with a mild base.

A (TD-)DFT study on photo-NHC catalysis: photoenolization/Diels-Alder reaction of acid fluorides catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes

A comprehensive mechanistic study on the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyzed photoenolization/Diels-Alder (PEDA) reaction of acid fluorides was performed in the framework of (time-dependent) density functional theory ((TD)-DFT). The 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer (1,5-HAT) during photoenolization of an ortho-toluoyl azolium salt was found to be feasible via, first, singlet excitation and photoenolization, and then, after crossing to the triplet manifold, populating a biradical dienol which allows for the formation of two ortho-quinodimethane (o-QDM) isomers due to a low rotational barrier. The (Z)-isomer is mostly unproductive through sigmatropic rearrangement back to the starting material while the (E)-isomer reacts in a subsequent concerted Diels-Alder reaction likely as the deprotonated dienolate. The experimentally observed diastereoselectivity is correctly predicted by theory and is determined by a more favorable endo trajectory in the cycloaddition step. These findings demonstrate that ortho-toluoyl azolium species exhibit similar photophysical properties as structurally related benzophenones, highlighting the unique ability of the NHC organocatalyst to transiently alter the excited state properties of an otherwise photoinactive carboxylic acid derivative, thereby expanding the scope of classical carbonyl photochemistry.

Single-electron carbene catalysis in redox processes

Inspired by the role of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) in natural enzymatic processes, chemists have harnessed the umpolung (polarity reversal) reactivity of these reactive, Lewis basic species over the past few decades to construct key chemical bonds. While NHCs continue to play a role in two-electron transformations, their unique redox properties enable a variety of useful, stabilized radical species to be accessed via single-electron oxidation or reduction. As a result, their utility in synthesis has grown rapidly concurrent with the revival of radical chemistry, highlighted by their extensive use as reactive single-electron species in recent years.

Combined Photoredox and Carbene Catalysis for the Synthesis of γ-Aryloxy Ketones

N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have emerged as catalysts for the construction of C-C bonds in the synthesis of substituted ketones under single-electron processes. Despite these recent reports, there still remains a need to increase the utility and practicality of these reactions by exploring new radical coupling partners. Herein, we report the synthesis of γ-aryloxyketones via combined NHC/photoredox catalysis. In this reaction, an α-aryloxymethyl radical is generated via oxidation of an aryloxymethyl potassium trifluoroborate salt, which is then added into styrene derivatives to provide a stabilized benzylic radical. Subsequent radical-radical coupling reaction with an azolium radical affords the γ-aryloxy ketone products.