Palladium-Catalyzed Visible-Light-Driven Carboxylation of Aryl and Alkenyl Triflates by Using Photoredox Catalysts

Synthesis of Isocoumarins via Light-Driven Carboxylative Cyclization Reaction of o-Ethynyl Aryl Bromides with CO2

Isocoumarins are an important class of bicyclic lactones, which are seen in natural products, drugs, and bioactive compounds, and a variety of synthetic methods for isocoumarins have been developed. However, the synthesis of isocoumarins via the catalytic CO2 fixation has been scarcely reported despite the potential incorporation of CO2 into the lactone moiety. Here, we developed the light-driven carboxylative cyclization reaction of o-ethynyl aryl bromides with CO2, which selectively produced isocoumarins. Control experiments revealed that photoirradiation promoted the cyclization process with high selectivity.

CO2 Fixation into Useful Aromatic Carboxylic Acids via C (sp2)-X Bonds Functionalization

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an abundant and readily available carbon source. Its transformation into high-added-value chemicals is a beneficial strategy, which mitigates greenhouse gas emissions and provides new raw material sources for the chemical industry. Among these chemicals, the aromatic carboxylic acids and derivatives have broad applications in medicine, pesticides, and materials science. Therefore, the carboxylation of C(sp2)-X (X = metal, halide, H, O, or S) bonds with CO2 to efficiently construct aromatic carboxylic acids and their derivatives is a synthetic strategy of significance. This review highlights the recent progress in constructing carboxylic acids and derivatives through the carboxylation of C(sp2)-X bonds with CO2 including literature published from 2000 to December 2024.

Transition Metal-Free Direct Electrochemical Carboxylation of Organic Halides Using a Sacrificial Magnesium Anode: Straightforward Synthesis of Carboxylic Acids

The direct electrochemical carboxylation of aryl, benzyl and alkyl halides by CO2 is described using a magnesium anode and a nickel foam cathode in an undivided cell. The process employs a sacrificial anode and does not require the additional use of a transition metal catalyst or demanding conditions, as the reactions are carried out under galvanostatic mode, at -10 °C and with commercial DMF. Under these operationally simple conditions, an important range of carboxylic acids are affordable. Mechanistic investigation account for the in situ generation of a carbanionic species that is not a simple organomagnesium halide.

Synergistic Photoredox/Palladium Catalyzed Enantioconvergent Carboxylation of Racemic Heterobiaryl (Pseudo)Halides with CO2

Herein, we report a synergistic photoredox/palladium catalytic system for the efficient enantioconvergent synthesis of axially chiral esters from racemic heterobiaryl (pseudo)halides (bromides/triflates) with CO2 and alkyl bromides under mild conditions. A wide range of axially chiral esters were obtained in good to high yields with excellent enantioselectivities. Detailed mechanistic studies unveiled that the ratio of photocatalyst and palladium catalyst exhibited significant impact on the chemo- and enantioselectivities of the reaction. Kinetic studies and control experiments supported the proposed mechanism involving cascade asymmetric carboxylation followed by SN2 substitution. The achievement of high enantioselectivity relies not only on the choice of synergistic metallaphotoredox catalysts but also on the utilization of alkyl bromides, which trap the generated chiral carboxylic anions in situ, thus preventing their immediate racemization.

Efficient palladium-catalyzed electrocarboxylation enables late-stage carbon isotope labelling

Carbon isotope labelling of bioactive molecules is essential for accessing the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of new drug entities. Aryl carboxylic acids represent an important class of structural motifs ubiquitous in pharmaceutically active molecules and are ideal targets for the installation of a radioactive tag employing isotopically labelled CO2. However, direct isotope incorporation via the reported catalytic reductive carboxylation (CRC) of aryl electrophiles relies on excess CO2, which is incompatible with carbon-14 isotope incorporation. Furthermore, the application of some CRC reactions for late-stage carboxylation is limited because of the low tolerance of molecular complexity by the catalysts. Herein, we report the development of a practical and affordable Pd-catalysed electrocarboxylation setup. This approach enables the use of near-stoichiometric 14CO2 generated from the primary carbon-14 source Ba14CO3, facilitating late-stage and single-step carbon-14 labelling of pharmaceuticals and representative precursors. The proposed isotope-labelling protocol holds significant promise for immediate impact on drug development programmes.

Visible-light-driven photocatalytic carboxylation to aromatic carboxylic acids with CO2

(Hetero)aromatic carboxylic acids and their derivatives attract attention due to their role in the synthesis of several biologically active molecules, active pharmaceutical ingredients, polymers, etc. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a prime C1 source for the synthesis of aromatic carboxylic acids because of its nontoxicity, nonflammability, abundance and renewability. Owing to the thermodynamic and chemical inertness of CO2, traditional carboxylation to aromatic carboxylic acids with CO2 is always performed under harsh reaction conditions or using stoichiometric metallic reductants. Visible-light-driven carboxylation with CO2 provides an environmentally benign, mild, and high-efficiency route for the production of aromatic carboxylic acids. This review comprehensively introduces the visible-light-driven preparation of aromatic carboxylic acids through a visible-light-driven oxidative addition and reductive elimination mechanism, binding of aryl (radical) anions which are produced by photoinduced electron transfer (PET) to CO2, binding of carbon dioxide anion radicals (CO2˙-) which are formed by PET to aryl compounds, radical coupling between CO2˙- and aryl radicals, and other mechanisms. Finally, this review provides a summary and the future work direction. This article offers a theoretical guidance for efficient synthesis of aromatic carboxylic acids via photocatalysis.

Recent progress in reductive carboxylation of C-O bonds with CO2

Transformation of carbon dioxide (CO2) into value-added organic compounds has attracted increasing interest of scientific community in the last few decades, not only because CO2 is the primary greenhouse gas that drives global climate change and ocean acidification, but also because it has been regarded as a plentiful, nontoxic, nonflammable and renewable one-carbon (C1) feedstock. Among the various CO2-conversion processes, carboxylation reactions represent one of the most beautiful and attractive research topics in the field, since it offers the possibility for the construction of synthetically and biologically important carboxylic acids from various easily accessible (pseudo)halides, organosilicon, and organoboron compounds. The purpose of this review is to summarize the available literature on deoxygenative carboxylation of alcohols and their derivatives utilizing CO2 as a carboxylative reagent. Depending on the C-O compounds employed, the paper is divided into five major sections. The direct dehydroxylative carboxylation of free alcohols is discussed first. This is followed by reductive carboxylation of carboxylates, triflates, and tosylates. In the final section, the only reported example on catalytic carboxylation of fluorosulfates will be covered. Notably, special attention has been paid on the mechanistic aspects of the reactions that may provide new insights into catalyst improvement and development, which currently mainly relies on the use of transition metal catalysts.

Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylation of Aryl Bromides with Carbon Dioxide To Access Aryl Carboxylic Acids under Mild Conditions

A palladium-catalyzed direct carbonylation of aryl bromides with carbon dioxide as the carbonyl source has been developed by using Pd(dba)₂/DPEPhos as the catalyst under mild reaction conditions, providing an efficient route to a variety of aryl carboxylic acids in moderate to high yields. The methods have many advantages such as the use of a simple palladium catalyst system, wide substrate scope, good functional group tolerance, high yields, and easy scalability.

Visible-Light-Driven Reductive Carboxylation of Benzyl Bromides with Carbon Dioxide Using Formate as Terminal Reductant

Cheap and available formate can be seen formally as a carbon dioxide radical anion (CO₂^•-) combined with a hydrogen atom, where the CO₂^•- is not only a highly active radical but also a very powerful reductant. In this paper, we successfully realized a visible-light-driven carboxylation of benzyl bromides with carbon dioxide to prepare high-value arylacetic acids using potassium formate as a terminal reductant. This reaction is characterized by mild reaction conditions and a wide range of substrates. Moreover, under nitrogen atmosphere, the reaction can also achieve the carboxylation of benzyl bromides utilizing an excess of potassium formate. Mechanistic experiments indicate this carboxylation proceeded through CO₂^•-, which was generated from the oxidation of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane with excited photosensitizer Ir(ppy)₂(dtbbpy)PF₆ in the presence of the potassium formate.

Visible-Light-Enabled Carboxylation of Benzyl Alcohol Derivatives with CO2 Using a Palladium/Iridium Dual Catalyst

A highly efficient carboxylation of benzyl alcohol derivatives with CO₂ using a palladium/iridium dual catalyst under visible-light irradiation was developed. A wide range of benzyl alcohol derivatives could be employed to provide benzylic carboxylic acids in moderate to high yields. Mechanistic studies indicated that the oxidative addition of benzyl alcohol derivatives was possibly the rate-determining-step. It was also found that a switchable site-selective carboxylation between benzylic C-O and aryl C-Cl moieties could be achieved simply by changing the palladium catalyst.

Recent advancements in visible-light-driven carboxylation with carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide as a classic C1 source has long been investigated in organic synthetic chemistry. Diverse catalytic methods for CO2 activation were reported in the past several decades. In this...

Metallaphotoredox: The Merger of Photoredox and Transition Metal Catalysis

The merger of photoredox catalysis with transition metal catalysis, termed metallaphotoredox catalysis, has become a mainstay in synthetic methodology over the past decade. Metallaphotoredox catalysis has combined the unparalleled capacity of transition metal catalysis for bond formation with the broad utility of photoinduced electron- and energy-transfer processes. Photocatalytic substrate activation has allowed the engagement of simple starting materials in metal-mediated bond-forming processes. Moreover, electron or energy transfer directly with key organometallic intermediates has provided novel activation modes entirely complementary to traditional catalytic platforms. This Review details and contextualizes the advancements in molecule construction brought forth by metallaphotocatalysis.

Carboxylation of a Palladacycle Formed via C(sp3 )-H Activation: Theory-Driven Reaction Design

Theory-driven organic synthesis is a powerful tool for developing new organic transformations. A palladacycle(II), generated from 8-methylquinoline via C(sp³ )-H activation, is frequently featured in the scientific literature, albeit that the reactivity toward CO₂ , an abundant, inexpensive, and non-toxic chemical, remains elusive. We have theoretically discovered potential carboxylation pathways using the artificial force induced reaction (AFIR) method, a density-functional-theory (DFT)-based automated reaction path search method. The thus obtained results suggest that the reduction of Pd(II) to Pd(I) is key to promote the insertion of CO₂ . Based on these computational findings, we employed various one-electron reductants, such as Cp*₂ Co, a photoredox catalyst under blue LED irradiation, and reductive electrolysis ((+)Mg/(-)Pt), which afforded the desired carboxylated products in high yields. After screening phosphine ligands under photoredox conditions, we discovered that bidentate ligands such as dppe promoted this carboxylation efficiently, which was rationally interpreted in terms of the redox potential of the Pd(II)-dppe complex as well as on the grounds of DFT calculations. We are convinced that these results could serve as future guidelines for the development of Pd(II)-catalyzed C(sp³ )-H carboxylation reactions with CO₂ .

Photocatalytic carbocarboxylation of styrenes with CO2 for the synthesis of γ-aminobutyric esters

Metal-free photoredox-catalyzed carbocarboxylation of various styrenes with carbon dioxide (CO2) and amines to obtain γ-aminobutyric ester derivatives has been developed (up to 91% yield, 36 examples). The radical anion of (2,3,4,6)-3-benzyl-2,4,5,6-tetra(9H-carbazol-9-yl)benzonitrile (4CzBnBN) possessing a high reduction potential (-1.72 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE)) easily reduces both electron-donating and electron-withdrawing group-substituted styrenes.

Acyl Radicals from α-Keto Acids: Metal-Free Visible-Light-Promoted Acylation of Heterocycles

A general and metal-free visible-light-induced decarboxylative arylation procedure at room temperature was described for the construction of acylated heterocyclic derivatives, such as benzimidazo/indolo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-ones, aroylazaspiro[4.5]trienones, thioflavones, and so on. This practical arylation procedure was conducted by using 2,4,5,6-tetra(9H-carbazol-9-yl)isophthalonitrile (4CzIPN) as a photocatalyst under mild conditions, which avoided the use of an additional base, traditional heating, and metal reagents.

Light-Promoted Organic Transformations Utilizing Carbon-Based Gas Molecules as Feedstocks

Carbon-based gas molecules are readily available feedstocks and are widely used in industry as building blocks or fuels. However, their application in the synthesis of fine chemicals has been hampered due to operational complexity, poor reaction efficiency and selectivity. Recent development of photoredox-promoted transformations using such gaseous reagents has received considerable attention from the synthetic community. In this review, efforts in developing light-promoted organic transformations using carbon-based natural gases as C1 or C2 feedstocks and to overcome the associated challenges are briefly summarized.

Pivotal Electron Delivery Effect of the Cobalt Catalyst in Photocarboxylation of Alkynes: A DFT Calculation

Photocarboxylation of alkyne with carbon dioxide represents a highly attractive strategy to prepare functionalized alkenes with high efficiency and atomic economy. However, the reaction mechanism, especially the sequence of elementary steps (leading to different reaction pathways), reaction modes of the H-transfer step and carboxylation step, spin and charge states of the cobalt catalyst, etc., is still an open question. Herein, density functional theory calculations are carried out to probe the mechanism of the Ir/Co-catalyzed photocarboxylation of alkynes. The overall catalytic cycle mainly consists of four steps: reductive-quenching of the Ir catalyst, hydrogen transfer (rate-determining step), outer sphere carboxylation, and the final catalyst regeneration step. Importantly, the cobalt catalyst can facilitate the H-transfer by an uncommon hydride coupled electron transfer (HCET) process. The pivotal electron delivery effect of the Co center enables a facile H-transfer to the α-C(alkyne) of the aryl group, resulting in the high regioselectivity for β-carboxylation.

Cooperative photoredox and palladium catalysis: recent advances in various functionalization reactions

Cooperative photoredox and palladium catalysis for various functionalization reactions.

Visible-light-promoted thiocyanation of sp2 C–H bonds over heterogeneous graphitic carbon nitrides

Mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (mpg-C₃N₄) is developed as a practical heterogeneous photocatalyst for C–S bond formation.

Light-Mediated Carboxylation Using Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a green and sustainable one-carbon source, which could be utilized in the production of various fine chemicals. In recent studies, the light-mediated carboxylation employing CO₂ has received considerable attention. The photocarboxylation of substrates with CO₂ to build novel C-C bonds is introduced in this Minireview. The article is arranged based on the light-driven reactive intermediates, including CO₂ radical anion, substrate radical anions, carbanions, and M-C species. Most of the cases are under the topic of photoredox catalysis, with single electron transfer as the main driving force. Some non-catalytic examples are also discussed to provide more mechanistic insights.

Visible-Light Photoredox-Catalyzed Ring-Opening Carboxylation of Cyclic Oxime Esters with CO2

The carboxylation of cyclic oxime esters with carbon dioxide via visible-light photoredox catalysis is demonstrated for the first time. A variety of cyclic oxime esters undergo ring-opening C-C bond cleavage and carboxylation to give cyanoalkyl-containing carboxylic acids in moderate to good yields. Moreover, this methodology features mild reaction conditions (room temperature, 1 atm), wide substrate scope, good functional group tolerance as well as facile derivations of products. Mechanistic studies indicate that the benzylic radicals and anions might be the key intermediates.

Utilization of CO2 Feedstock for Organic Synthesis by Visible-Light Photoredox Catalysis

CO₂ is a highly abundant, green, and sustainable carbon feedstock. Despite its kinetic inertness and thermodynamic stability, the development of various catalytic techniques has enabled the conversion of CO₂ to value-added products such as carboxylic acids, amino acids, and heterocyclic compounds, where visible-light photocatalysis has emerged to be an efficient promoter of these processes. This Minireview covers the progress in the areas of CO₂ incorporation onto organic matters based on the combined venture of renewable resources of CO₂ and light energy with significant emphasis on the last three years' developments.

Visible-Light Photoredox-Catalyzed Remote Difunctionalizing Carboxylation of Unactivated Alkenes with CO2

Remote difunctionalization of unactivated alkenes is challenging but a highly attractive tactic to install two functional groups across long distances. Reported herein is the first remote difunctionalization of alkenes with CO₂ . This visible-light photoredox catalysis strategy provides a facile method to synthesize a series of carboxylic acids bearing valuable fluorine- or phosphorus-containing functional groups. Moreover, this versatile protocol shows mild reaction conditions, broad substrate scope, and good functional-group tolerance. Based on DFT calculations, a radical adds to an unactivated alkene to smoothly form a new carbon radical, followed by a 1,5-hydrogen atom-transfer process, the rate-limiting step, generating a more stable benzylic radical. The reduction of the benzylic radicals by an Ir^II species generates the corresponding benzylic carbanions as the key intermediates, which further undergo nucleophilic attack with CO₂ to generate carboxylates.

Visible-Light-Induced Palladium-Catalyzed Generation of Aryl Radicals from Aryl Triflates

A mild visible-light-induced Pd-catalyzed intramolecular C-H arylation of amides is reported. The method operates by cleavage of a C(sp2 )-O bond, leading to hybrid aryl Pd-radical intermediates. The following 1,5-hydrogen atom translocation, intramolecular cyclization, and rearomatization steps lead to valuable oxindole and isoindoline-1-one motifs. Notably, this method provides access to products with readily enolizable functional groups that are incompatible with traditional Pd-catalyzed conditions.

A metal-free visible-light-promoted phosphorylation/cyclization reaction in water towards 3-phosphorylated benzothiophenes

A metal-free visible-light-induced phosphorylation/cyclization reaction was developed in water at room temperature for the synthesis of 3-phosphorylated benzothiophenes.