Photochemical Regioselective C(sp3)-H Amination of Amides Using N-Haloimides

NBS-mediated C(sp3)-H amidation of N,N-dimethylamides with N-acyloxyamides

Presented herein is the NBS-mediated amidation of the C(sp3)-H bond adjacent to the nitrogen atom of N,N-dimethylamide using N-acyloxyamide as the amide source, leading to a diverse array of methylenebisamides. The transformation features mild conditions, excellent functional group tolerance, and high efficiency. The practicality of the methodology was shown by gram-scale synthesis and efficient product derivatization. Preliminary study indicated that the amidation might be realized by cross coupling between nitrogen and carbon radicals.

Visible-Light-Mediated Synthesis of α-Aryl Ester Derivatives via an EDA Complex

We report an efficient radical-based and photocatalyst-free method for the C(sp2)-C(sp3) cross-coupling reaction to synthesize α-aryl ester derivatives. The process starts from a β-keto ester and an electron-deficient halogenated aryl halide under alkaline conditions to form an electron donor-acceptor complex and is driven by visible light. From the synthetic point of view, this newly established method represents a simple way to access arylpropionic acids from commercially available and cheap starting materials.

A one-step base-free synthesis of N-arylamides via modified pivaloyl mixed anhydride mediated amide coupling

Pivalic anhydride is shown to be an effective reagent for direct amidation of carboxylic acids with N-alkyl anilines. The only by-product of this reaction is nontoxic pivalic acid, which can be easily removed by aqueous workup. The reactions are conducted under mild conditions and found to be compatible with a range of carboxylic acids, including aromatic, heterocyclic, acrylic, and aliphatic carboxylic acids and amino acids generating the desired amides in short reaction times.

Solvent Anions Enable Photoinduced Borylation and Phosphonation of Aryl Halides via EDA Complexes

We report the synthesis of aryl boronic esters and aryl phosphonate esters promoted by visible-light in the absence of transition-metals or photoredox catalysts. The transformation proceeds at room temperature using sodium hydride, as a non-nucleophilic base, and exhibits functional group tolerance for anilines, amides, and esters. UV-vis spectroscopy, radical trapping experiments, and computational (TD-DFT) calculations suggest an electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) complex between solvent anions and aryl halides as the species responsible for this reactivity.

Photoinduced C(sp3)-H Chalcogenation of Amide Derivatives and Ethers via Ligand-to-Metal Charge-Transfer

A photoinduced, iron(III) chloride-catalyzed C-H activation of N-methyl amides and ethers leads to the formation of C-S and C-Se bonds via a ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) process. This methodology converts secondary and tertiary amides, sulfonamides, and carbamates into the corresponding amido-N,S-acetal derivatives in good yields. Mechanistic work revealed that this transformation proceeds through a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) involving chlorine radical intermediates.

Visible-Light-Driven Organophotocatalyzed Multicomponent Approach for Tandem C(sp3)-H Activation and Alkylation Followed by Trifluoromethylthiolation

A visible-light-driven organophotocatalyzed multicomponent approach has been developed for tandem direct C(sp³)-H activation and alkylation followed by trifluoromethylthiolation in a one-pot operation. We report a completely metal-free, tandem, three-component approach for the difunctionalization of activated alkenes via the photoinduced radical pathway. This protocol allows the formation of two new C(sp³)-C(sp³) and C(sp³)-SCF₃ bonds using a bench-stable, easy-to-handle trifluoromethylthiolating reagent under mild reaction conditions. The generosity of this reaction is shown with a library of C(sp³)-H donors and alkenes derivatives. The reaction conditions can tolerate a wide variety of functional groups. Gram-scale synthesis using environmentally benign and straightforward conditions highlights the synthetic advancement of the methodology. Further functionalization of the final product is also successfully demonstrated.

Expedient access to N-alkylphthalimides via redox-neutral photocatalysed Giese-type reactions

The photoredox-catalysed Giese-type reaction has emerged as a useful and powerful platform for radical-based transformations. Herein, a novel protocol for the preparation of N-alkylphthalimides has been successfully developed via the reactions of N-vinylphthalimides with radicals using alkyl silicates or Hantzsch esters as the radical precursors. According to the result of deuteration experiments, a mechanism involving a radical addition/SET reduction/protonation process has been proposed. The synthetic application of N-alkylphthalimide has also been demonstrated by deprotecting the phthalimido group using the Ing-Manske procedure.

Photoinduced α-C-H Amination of Cyclic Amine Scaffolds Enabled by Polar-Radical Relay

Herein, we report a polar-radical relay strategy for α-C-H amination of cyclic amines with N-chloro-N-sodio-carbamates. The relay is initiated by in situ generation of cyclic iminium intermediate using N-iodosuccinimide (NIS) oxidant as an initiator, which then operates through a series of polar (addition and elimination) and radical (homolysis, hydrogen- and halogen atom transfer) reactions to enable the challenging C-N bond formation in a controlled manner. A broad range of α-amino cyclic amines were readily accessed with excellent regioselectivity, and the superb applicability was further demonstrated by functionalization of biologically relevant compounds.

Photoexcited sulfenylation of C(sp3)-H bonds in amides using thiosulfonates

A photoexcited sulfenylation of C(sp³)-H bonds in amides is developed for the synthesis of sulfenyl amides using thiosulfonates as a sulfur source. In the presence of easily available and inexpensive Na₂-eosin Y, TBHP and K₂CO₃, various sulfenyl amides can be obtained under the irradiation of blue light at room temperature.

Photoredox Polyfluoroarylation of Alkyl Halides via Halogen Atom Transfer

Polyfluoroarene moieties are of interest in medicinal chemistry, agrochemicals, and material sciences. Herein, we present the first polyfluoroarylation of unactivated alkyl halides via a halogen atom transfer process. This method converts primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl halides into the respective polyfluoroaryl compounds in good yields in the presence of amide, carbamate, ester, aromatic, and sulfonamide moieties, including derivatives of complex bioactive molecules. Mechanistic work revealed that this transformation proceeds through an alkyl radical generated after the halogen atom transfer.

Transition-Metal-Free Photoredox Phosphonation of Aryl C-N and C-X Bonds in Aqueous Solvent Mixtures

Herein, we present an efficient and mild methodology for the synthesis of aromatic phosphonate esters in good to excellent yields using 10H-phenothiazine, an inexpensive commodity chemical, as a photoredox catalyst. The reaction exhibits wide functional group compatibility enabling the transformation in the presence of ketone, amide, ester, amine, and alcohol moieties. Importantly, the reaction proceeds using a green solvent mixture primarily composed of water, thus lowering the environmental footprint of this transformation compared to current methods. The transformation also proceeds under atmospheric conditions, which further differentiates it from current methods that require inert atmosphere. Mechanistic work using fluorescence quenching experiments and radical trapping approaches support the proposed mechanism.

Metal-free visible-light-promoted C(sp3)-H functionalization of aliphatic cyclic ethers using trace O2

Presented is a light-promoted C-C bond forming reaction yielding sulfone and phosphate derivatives at room temperature in the absence of metals or photoredox catalyst. This transformation proceeds in neat conditions through an auto-oxidation mechanism which is maintained through the leaching of trace amounts of O2 as sole green oxidant.

Dimsyl Anion Enables Visible‐Light‐Promoted Charge Transfer in Cross‐Coupling Reactions of Aryl Halides

A methodology is reported for visible-light-promoted synthesis of unsymmetrical chalcogenides enabled by dimsyl anion in the absence of transition-metals or photoredox catalysts. The cross-coupling reaction between aryl halides and diaryl dichalcogenides proceeds with electron-rich, electron-poor, and heteroaromatic moieties. Mechanistic investigations using UV-Vis spectroscopy, time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations, and control reactions suggest that dimsyl anion forms an electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) complex capable of absorbing blue light, leading to a charge transfer responsible for generation of aryl radicals from aryl halides. This previously unreported mechanistic pathway may be applied to other light-induced transformations performed in DMSO in the presence of bases and aryl halides.

A Journey from June 2018 to October 2021 with N,N-Dimethylformamide and N,N-Dimethylacetamide as Reactants

A rich array of reactions occur using N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) or N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) as reactants, these two amides being able to deliver their own H, C, N, and O atoms for the synthesis of a variety of compounds. This account highlights the literature published since June 2018, completing previous reviews by the author.