Highly Efficient Photoinitiation Systems Based on Dibenzo[a,c]phenazine Sensitivity to Visible Light for Dentistry

In this work, photoinitiation systems based on dibenzo[a,c]phenazine sensitivity to visible light were designed for their potential application in dentistry. Modification of the structure of dibenzo[a,c]phenazine consisted of introducing electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents and heavy atoms into position 11. The synthesized compounds are able to absorb radiation emitted by dental lamps during photoinitiation of the polymerization process. In the presence of acrylates, dibenzo[a,c]phenazines show excellent photoinitiating abilities in systems containing an electron donor or a hydrogen-atom donor as a second component. The developed systems initiate the polymerization process comparable to a commercial photoinitiator, i.e., camphorquinone. Moreover, the performed studies showed a significant shortening of the polymerization time and a reduction in the amount of light absorber. This indicates that polymeric materials are obtained at a similar rate despite a significant reduction in the concentration of the newly developed two-component photoinitiating systems.

Design of Dyes Based on the Quinoline or Quinoxaline Skeleton towards Visible Light Photoinitiators

Dyes based on quinoline and quinoxaline skeletons were designed for application as visible light photoinitiators. The obtained compounds absorb electromagnetic radiation on the border between ultraviolet and visible light, which allows the use of dental lamps as light sources during the initiation of the photopolymerization reaction. Their another desirable feature is the ability to create a long-lived excited state, which enables the chain reaction to proceed through the mechanism of intermolecular electron transfer. In two-component photoinitiating systems, in the presence of an electron donor or a hydrogen atom donor, the synthesized compounds show excellent abilities to photoinitiate the polymerization of acrylates. In control tests, the efficiency of photopolymerization using modified quinoline and quinoxaline derivatives is comparable to that obtained using a typical, commercial photoinitiator for dentistry, camphorquinone. Moreover, the use of the tested compounds requires a small amount of photoinitiator (only 0.04% by weight) to initiate the reaction. The research also showed a significant acceleration of the photopolymerization process and shortening of the reaction time. In practice, this means that the new two-component initiating systems can be used in much lower concentrations without slowing down the speed of obtaining polymer materials. It is worth emphasizing that these two features of the new initiating system allow for cost reduction by reducing financial outlays on both materials (photoinitiators) and electricity.

Direct Hydrodecarboxylation of Aliphatic Carboxylic Acids: Metal- and Light-Free

A mild and inexpensive method for direct hydrodecarboxylation of aliphatic carboxylic acids has been developed. The reaction does not require metals, light, or catalysts, rendering the protocol operationally simple, easy to scale, and more sustainable. Crucially, no additional H atom source is required in most cases, while a broad substrate scope and functional group tolerance are observed.

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.

Hydrodecarboxylation of Carboxylic and Malonic Acid Derivatives via Organic Photoredox Catalysis: Substrate Scope and Mechanistic Insight

A direct, catalytic hydrodecarboxylation of primary, secondary, and tertiary carboxylic acids is reported. The catalytic system consists of a Fukuzumi acridinium photooxidant with phenyldisulfide acting as a redox-active cocatalyst. Substoichiometric quantities of Hünig's base are used to reveal the carboxylate. Use of trifluoroethanol as a solvent allowed for significant improvements in substrate compatibilities, as the method reported is not limited to carboxylic acids bearing α heteroatoms or phenyl substitution. This method has been applied to the direct double decarboxylation of malonic acid derivatives, which allows for the convenient use of dimethyl malonate as a methylene synthon. Kinetic analysis of the reaction is presented showing a lack of a kinetic isotope effect when generating deuterothiophenol in situ as a hydrogen atom donor. Further kinetic analysis demonstrated first-order kinetics with respect to the carboxylate, while the reaction is zero-order in acridinium catalyst, consistent with another finding suggesting the reaction is light limiting and carboxylate oxidation is likely turnover limiting. Stern-Volmer analysis was carried out in order to determine the efficiency for the carboxylates to quench the acridinium excited state.

Decarboxylative allylation of amino alkanoic acids and esters via dual catalysis

A combination of photoredox and palladium catalysis has been employed to facilitate the room temperature decarboxylative allylation of recalcitrant α-amino and phenylacetic allyl esters. This operationally simple process produces CO₂ as the only byproduct and provides direct access to allylated alkanes. After photochemical oxidation, the carboxylate undergoes radical decarboxylation to site-specifically generate radical intermediates which undergo allylation. A radical dual catalysis mechanism is proposed. Free phenylacetic acids were also allylated utilizing similar reactions conditions.

Catalyst-free photoredox addition-cyclisations: exploitation of natural synergy between aryl acetic acids and maleimide

Suitably functionalised carboxylic acids undergo a previously unknown photoredox reaction when irradiated with UVA in the presence of maleimide. Maleimide was found to synergistically act as a radical generating photoxidant and as a radical acceptor, negating the need for an extrinsic photoredox catalyst. Modest to excellent yields of the product chromenopyrroledione, thiochromenopyrroledione and pyrroloquinolinedione derivatives were obtained in thirteen preparative photolyses. In situ NMR spectroscopy was used to study each reaction. Reactant decay and product build-up were monitored, enabling reaction profiles to be plotted. A plausible mechanism, whereby photo-excited maleimide acts as an oxidant to generate a radical ion pair, has been postulated and is supported by UV/Vis. spectroscopy and DFT computations. The radical-cation reactive intermediates were also characterised in solution by EPR spectroscopy.

Initiators Based on Benzaldoximes: Bimolecular and Covalently Bound Systems

Typical bimolecular photoinitiators (PIs) for radical polymerization of acrylates show only poor photoreactivity because of the undesired effect of back electron transfer. To overcome this limitation, PIs consisting of a benzaldoxime ester and various sensitizers based on aromatic ketones were introduced. The core of the photoinduced reactivity was established by laser flash photolysis, photo-CIDNP, and EPR experiments at short time scales. According to these results, the primarily formed iminyl radicals are not particularly active. The polymerization is predominantly initiated by C-centered radicals. Photo-DSC experiments show reactivities comparable to that of classical monomolecular type I PIs like Darocur 1173.