Benzylic C(sp³)–H fluorination

• Alexander P. Atkins,
• Alice C. Dean and
• Alastair J. J. Lennox

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1527–1547, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.137

• . This review aims to give context to these transformations and strategies, highlighting the different tactics to achieve fluorination of benzylic C–H bonds. Keywords: benzylic; C–H functionalization; fluorination; photoredox catalysis; Introduction The development of new fluorination methodologies is

• functionalisation of benzylic C–H bonds to benzylic radicals can be envisaged to occur through three different pathways (Figure 22). Upon excitation by light, photoredox reagents can induce a number of changes in benzylic substrate I, either directly or via mediated processes. Hydrogen-atom-transfer (HAT) results

• photoredox catalysis and electrochemistry, open up the use of nucleophilic fluoride sources, complementing the broader scopes demonstrated by radical methods. All these approaches highlight the multiple reactivity modes of benzylic C(sp3)–H bond functionalisation, and provide context on the state of the art

Electrophotochemical metal-catalyzed synthesis of alkylnitriles from simple aliphatic carboxylic acids

• Yukang Wang,
• Yan Yao and
• Niankai Fu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1497–1503, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.133

• different types of aliphatic acids including primary ones could be successfully employed (Figure 1B, reaction 1). The groups of Waser [23] and Gonzalez-Gomez [24] reported the direct conversion of aliphatic acids to the corresponding alkylnitriles by merging photoredox catalysis and radical cyanation

• success of this transformation (Table 1, entries 6–9). We also tested other photoredox catalysts that are capable of driving the oxidative decarboxylation, only Fukuzumi catalyst [47] was able to deliver the product with a meaningful yield (Table 1, entry 10). The scope of this transformation was next

Generation of alkyl and acyl radicals by visible-light photoredox catalysis: direct activation of C–O bonds in organic transformations

• Mithu Roy,
• Bitan Sardar,
• Itu Mallick and
• Dipankar Srimani

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1348–1375, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.119

• radicals by activation of C–O bonds using visible-light photoredox catalysis offers a mild and environmentally benign approach to useful chemical transformations. Alcohols, carboxylic acids, anhydrides, xanthates, oxalates, N-phthalimides, and thiocarbonates are some examples of alkyl and acyl precursors

• photocatalysts, transition-metal photoredox catalysts, and metallaphotocatalysts to produce acyl and alkyl radicals driven by visible light. Keywords: acyl radical; alkyl radical; sustainable catalysis; visible light; Introduction The growing awareness of the necessity for sustainable developments has been

• the progress of photoredox-mediated catalysis in this domain [18]. Conventional procedures, such as Barton–McCombie deoxygenation [19] and use of thiocarbonyl-based activating groups [20], are quite popular. However, they have certain limitations, such as the use of toxic reagents, high temperature

Mechanistic investigations of polyaza[7]helicene in photoredox and energy transfer catalysis

• Johannes Rocker,
• Till J. B. Zähringer,
• Matthias Schmitz,
• Till Opatz and
• Christoph Kerzig

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1236–1245, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.106

• thorough photochemical characterization is essential for efficient light-driven applications. In this article, the mode of action of a polyazahelicene catalyst (Aza-H) was investigated using laser flash photolysis (LFP). The study revealed that the chromophore can function as a singlet-state photoredox

• cation was directly observed confirming the previously proposed mechanism of a three-component reaction. Several steps of the photoredox cycle were investigated separately, providing deep insights into the complex mechanism. The triplet-excited Aza-H, which was studied with quantitative LFP, is formed

• increased when the triplet efficiently reacts in a catalytic cycle such that turnover numbers exceeding 4400 are achievable with this organocatalyst. Keywords: energy transfer; laser spectroscopy; organocatalyst; photoredox; time-resolved spectroscopy; Introduction The emergence of photoredox chemistry in

(Bio)isosteres of ortho- and meta-substituted benzenes

• H. Erik Diepers and
• Johannes C. L. Walker

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 859–890, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.78

• -cubanes (Scheme 9B) [51]. Partial deprotection of diester 88 led to acid 89 as a key intermediate and in situ activation of the acid as the hypervalent iodine complex enabled a photoredox decarboxylative amination to 1,2-cubane 90. Alternatively, conversion of the acid moiety of 89 to redox active esters

• 1,4-BCHs (Scheme 11B) [55]. From carboxylic acid 100e, Curtius rearrangement led to amine 101 and a photoredox decarboxylative conjugate addition to diester 102. From boronate ester 100f, oxidative deborylation led to alcohol 103, arylation led to furan 104 and Matteson homologation to boronate ester

• haloalkylation with alkyl iodides (Scheme 14A) [27][47]. This reaction can be performed either under photoredox catalysis conditions or without the need for an initiator, depending on the used alkyl iodide. For selected examples, the radical initiator Et3B could also be used. Activation by photoredox catalysis

Advancements in hydrochlorination of alkenes

• Daniel S. Müller

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 787–814, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.72

• is worthy of being called anti-Markovnikov hydrochlorination was reported by Nicewicz in 2014 [90]. The inversion of regioselectivity is best understood by examination of the proposed catalytic cycle (Figure 8). First, electronic excitation of photoredox catalyst 149 at 450 nm results in an excited

• one suggested by Nicewicz [90], the reaction is conceptually distinct (compare Figure 8 and Figure 9). Initially, 9-arylacridine 160, which is not a photoredox catalyst itself, undergoes protonation by hydrochloric acid to form the corresponding acridinium ion 161, which in turn is photoredox-active

SOMOphilic alkyne vs radical-polar crossover approaches: The full story of the azido-alkynylation of alkenes

• Julien Borrel and
• Jerome Waser

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 701–713, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.64

• high yield (72%) of the homopropargylic azide was reached. Full insights are given about the factors that were essential for the success of the optimization process. Keywords: alkyne; azide; hypervalent iodine; photoredox; trifluoroborate salt; Introduction Homopropargylic azides are important

• reaction. Radical-polar crossover Due to the disappointing results obtained with EBX reagents as SOMOphilic alkynes, we turned our attention to the development of a radical-polar crossover approach using photoredox catalysis. The final results obtained were described in our previous publication [45], but

Mechanisms for radical reactions initiating from N-hydroxyphthalimide esters

• Carlos R. Azpilcueta-Nicolas and
• Jean-Philip Lumb

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 346–378, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.35

• years and in the past, they were perceived as fleeting reaction intermediates. Recent progress in photoredox catalysis [6][7][8], electrochemistry [9][10], and the use of transition-metal (TM) catalysts in radical cross-coupling reactions [11] have dramatically expanded the use of radicals in synthesis

• . With this mechanistic blueprint as a backdrop, Phipps and co-workers developed an enantioselective Minisci-type addition, under dual photoredox and chiral Brønsted acid catalysis [44] (Scheme 5A). In their proposed mechanism, the activation of the NHPI ester radical precursor was proposed to occur via

• ] (Scheme 11A). This transformation occurred under light irradiation either in the presence or absence of a RuII photoredox catalyst. It was found that the chiral lithium phosphate catalyst (R)-TRIP-Li played a crucial role in accelerating the reaction rate. Following an in-depth analysis of the mechanism

Additive-controlled chemoselective inter-/intramolecular hydroamination via electrochemical PCET process

• Kazuhiro Okamoto,
• Naoki Shida and
• Mahito Atobe

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 264–271, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.27

• ][6][7][8]. Recent advances in photoredox and electrochemical PCET reactions have significantly expanded the substrate scope of amidyl-radical-based molecular transformations because the harsh acidic and high-temperature conditions required in the classical Hofmann–Löffler–Freytag reaction can be

Recent advancements in iodide/phosphine-mediated photoredox radical reactions

• Tinglan Liu,
• Yu Zhou,
• Junhong Tang and
• Chengming Wang

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1785–1803, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.131

• Tinglan Liu Yu Zhou Junhong Tang Chengming Wang Department of Chemistry, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, P. R. China UNITEST, Weifang 261000, P. R. China 10.3762/bjoc.19.131 Abstract Photoredox catalysis plays a crucial role in contemporary synthetic organic chemistry. Since the

• review, we primarily focus on summarizing the recent advancements in inexpensive and readily available iodide/phosphine-mediated photoredox radical transformations. Keywords: annulation; decarboxylative; iodide/phosphine; photocatalytic; radical reaction; Introduction Over the past few decades

• , numerous remarkable breakthroughs and notable progresses have been achieved in the realm of photoredox catalysis [1][2][3]. This domain has profoundly transformed modern organic synthesis, resulting in a considerable surge in research efforts centered on free radical reactions [4]. Presently, photoredox

Radical chemistry in polymer science: an overview and recent advances

• Zixiao Wang,
• Feichen Cui,
• Yang Sui and
• Jiajun Yan

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1580–1603, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.116

• photoredox catalyst mediated by light to overcome the challenge of metal contamination in the precipitated polymers [58]. After the ATRP reaction, a reactive chain end retains as a stable alkyl halide moiety. Therefore, ATRP is particularly suitable for the synthesis of polymers with complex architectures

• . Silicone rubber was prepared in such a process [131]. Pan and co-workers recently reported a photoredox hydrosilylation process compatible to both electron-sufficient and -deficient vinyl species [86], and applicable to both post-polymerization modification and crosslinking of polymers bearing pendant

C–H bond functionalization: recent discoveries and future directions

• Indranil Chatterjee

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1568–1569, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.114

• strategies are age-old processes, they were initially cumbersome due to the stoichiometric use of heavy metal salts, peroxides, and other toxic materials as well as the generation of heavy organic and inorganic wastes. In modern days, new strategies are being developed, dealing with photoredox chemistry and

• its combination with organometallic chemistry for site-selective C−H bond functionalization [3][4]. Recent years have witnessed many viable strategies for the synthesis of complex targets utilizing photoredox catalysis, electroorganic catalysis, Lewis acid catalysis, and transition-metal-free

Non-noble metal-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenation coupling (CDC) involving ether α-C(sp³)–H to construct C–C bonds

• Hui Yu and
• Feng Xu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1259–1288, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.94

• heterocyclic aromatics with α-C–H bonds of ethers was achieved under the irradiation of a 34 W blue LED using rose bengal (RB) as the organic photoredox catalyst, TBHP as oxidizing agent, and DABCO as the base (Scheme 43c) [125]. The wide scope of substrates, aerobic conditions, and gram-scale suitability are

Radical ligand transfer: a general strategy for radical functionalization

• David T. Nemoto Jr,
• Kang-Jie Bian,
• Shih-Chieh Kao and
• Julian G. West

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1225–1233, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.90

• of RLT with photoredox-catalyzed atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) (Scheme 3). ATRA results in the net addition of a C–X bond across an alkene, forming both valuable C–C and C–X bonds in a single reaction. While ATRA-type reactions were first reported in the 1940s by Kharasch [28], interest in

• the area was revitalized the early 2010s with the advent of Stephenson’s photoredox catalytic methods which dramatically simplified reaction conditions [29][30], driving ongoing interest in this mechanistic approach [31]. Our group recently devised a dual catalytic method which combines the RLT

Selective and scalable oxygenation of heteroatoms using the elements of nature: air, water, and light

• Damiano Diprima,
• Hannes Gemoets,
• Stefano Bonciolini and
• Koen Van Aken

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1146–1154, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.82

• separate” additives, a significant rate enhancement could be obtained with a positive impact on productivity rates. Results and Discussion There are a lot of similarities between electrochemistry and photoredox chemistry [33] as both rely on single-electron transfer processes to initiate reactions. In

• electrochemistry, the electron transfer occurs locally at the surface of the physical electrodes (typically located at a distance in the range of 200 μm to 2 cm) on which a potential is induced by an external potentiostat (Scheme 2). While for photoredox chemistry, the light-activated semiconductor catalyst

• comparative study between the electrochemical and the photoredox pathway, using the exact same chemical matrix, is not yet described. Intrigued by this, we decided to investigate the oxidation of sulfides both via electrochemistry and photoredox catalysis using thioanisole as benchmark substrate. Initially

Photoredox catalysis harvesting multiple photon or electrochemical energies

• Mattia Lepori,
• Simon Schmid and
• Joshua P. Barham

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1055–1145, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.81

• Mattia Lepori Simon Schmid Joshua P. Barham Fakultät für Chemie und Pharmazie, Universität Regensburg, Universitatsstraße 31, 93040 Regensburg, Germany 10.3762/bjoc.19.81 Abstract Photoredox catalysis (PRC) is a cutting-edge frontier for single electron-transfer (SET) reactions, enabling the

• feedstocks, and scalability up to gram scales in continuous flow. This review provides comparisons between the two techniques (multi-photon photoredox catalysis and PEC) to help the reader to fully understand their similarities, differences and potential applications and to therefore choose which method is

• the most appropriate for a given reaction, scale and purpose of a project. Keywords: consecutive photoinduced electron transfer; electro-activated photoredox catalysis; photoelectrochemistry; photoredox catalysis; radical ions; Review 1 Introduction Owing to the unique reactivity patterns of free

Photoredox catalysis enabling decarboxylative radical cyclization of γ,γ-dimethylallyltryptophan (DMAT) derivatives: formal synthesis of 6,7-secoagroclavine

• Alessio Regni,
• Francesca Bartoccini and
• Giovanni Piersanti

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 918–927, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.70

• Alessio Regni Francesca Bartoccini Giovanni Piersanti Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Carlo Bo Piazza Rinascimento 6, 61029 Urbino, PU, Italy 10.3762/bjoc.19.70 Abstract An unusual photoredox-catalyzed radical decarboxylative cyclization cascade reaction of γ,γ

• photocatalyst. Keywords: decarboxylative cyclization; DMAT; ergot alkaloids; photoredox catalysis; radicals; Introduction Visible-light photoredox catalysis is rapidly changing the way organic chemists approach the design and synthesis of molecules by offering new synthetic disconnection opportunities that

• manner due to their intrinsic mildness and broad substrate compatibility [16][17][18][19][20]. This transformative synthetic tool often utilizes direct single-electron transfer (SET) between an electronically excited photoredox catalyst and an organic substrate, resulting in oxidation or reduction, to

Photocatalytic sequential C–H functionalization expediting acetoxymalonylation of imidazo heterocycles

• Deepak Singh,
• Shyamal Pramanik and
• Soumitra Maity

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 666–673, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.48

• products with excellent yields and regioselectivity, thus confirming excellent functional group tolerability. Keywords: C–H functionalization; imidazo heterocycles; photoredox; regioselective; relay catalysis; Introduction Among all N-fused heterocycles, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines (IPs) are the prevalent

• aerobic oxygenation approach to imidazo heterocycles II to install the hydroxymalonate unit onto I through sequential photoredox C–H functionalization. Till date, there is no report of the direct incorporation of a quaternary hydroxyalkyl, specifically a hydroxymalonyl group at the C-3 position of IPs

• plays a crucial role in activating IP towards the photoredox coupling reaction. Shifting of protons in the 1H NMR spectrum of 2-phenylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine (1a) in the presence of Zn(OAc)2 in CDCl3 indicates a weak interaction of Zn(OAc)2 with 1a (see Supporting Information File 1 for details) [20][21

Enolates ambushed – asymmetric tandem conjugate addition and subsequent enolate trapping with conventional and less traditional electrophiles

• Péter Kisszékelyi and
• Radovan Šebesta

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 593–634, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.44

• highly beneficial scaffold which was successfully involved in diastereoselective Ni/photoredox dual-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. Furthermore, rather than the stereoselective protonation, they have also demonstrated the successful trapping of the Cu enolate with benzaldehyde (Scheme 45B). This

Transition-metal-catalyzed domino reactions of strained bicyclic alkenes

• Austin Pounder,
• Eric Neufeld,
• Peter Myler and
• William Tam

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 487–540, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.38

• , Gutierrez and Molander reported the coupling 4-alkyl-1,4-dihydropyridines 31 with heterobicyclic alkenes 30 under photoredox/Ni dual catalysis (Scheme 6) [39]. In contrast to other photoredox-mediated transformations, the authors utilized the inexpensive organic photosensitizer 4-CzIPN (Scheme 6 and Scheme

• and Renaud expanded the scope of the photoredox/Ni dual-catalyzed coupling of alkyl nucleophiles 36 with heterobicyclic alkenes 30 to include α-amino radicals (Scheme 7) [40]. The authors noted the electron-rich oxabenzonorbornadiene derivatives provided the corresponding ring-opened adducts in good

Strategies to access the [5-8] bicyclic core encountered in the sesquiterpene, diterpene and sesterterpene series

• Cécile Alleman,
• Charlène Gadais,
• Laurent Legentil and
• François-Hugues Porée

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 245–281, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.23

• -positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Scheme 31B). 4.4 Photocatalyzed oxidative ring expansion: alternative radical chemistry for pleuromutilin scaffold construction Following the advent of photoredox catalysis in ring-opening and ring-expansion chemistry [75], a new route was proposed by Foy and Pronin to

1,4-Dithianes: attractive C2-building blocks for the synthesis of complex molecular architectures

• Bram Ryckaert,
• Ellen Demeyere,
• Frederick Degroote,
• Hilde Janssens and
• Johan M. Winne

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 115–132, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.12

• co-workers could offer more opportunities here (Scheme 7) [43][44]. Furthermore, some recently reported photoredox-catalyzed thioether (C–H) alkylation and heteroarylation reactions developed by Alfonzo and Hande have demonstrated the use of 1,4-dithianes as viable substrates in such attractive bond

NaI/PPh₃-catalyzed visible-light-mediated decarboxylative radical cascade cyclization of N-arylacrylamides for the efficient synthesis of quaternary oxindoles

• Dan Liu,
• Yue Zhao and
• Frederic W. Patureau

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 57–65, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.5

• can operate as an efficient photoredox catalyst, providing an economical access to construct important oxindole scaffolds containing a quaternary carbon center. This synthetic method features a broad substrate scope, good functional group tolerance and operational simplicity. Mechanistic

Modern flow chemistry – prospect and advantage

• Philipp Heretsch

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 33–35, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.3

• ]. Analogously, significantly increased photon transfer in flow reactors has been exploited. Where the molar attenuation coefficient is high, such as in many important photoredox catalysts, most of the irradiation is already absorbed within a thin layer of a few millimeters. Thus, in batch reactors the vast

Combining the best of both worlds: radical-based divergent total synthesis

• Kyriaki Gennaiou,
• Antonios Kelesidis,
• Maria Kourgiantaki and
• Alexandros L. Zografos

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1–26, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.1

• review highlights recent total syntheses that incorporate the best of both worlds. Keywords: biomimetic synthesis; cascades; common scaffold; hydrogen atom transfer; photoredox catalysis; Introduction Societal needs push sciences into new directions, as the urge for new pharmaceutical leads grows, in

• reactions of transition metal hydrides (Fe, Co, Mn, etc) with alkenes (e.g., Mukaiyama hydration) [20]. The last decade saw the development of milder methods for generating carbon-centered radicals as the advancement of their reactivity in cross-coupling reactions, the concept of photoredox catalysis [21

• radical to circumvent the unsuccessful Friedel–Crafts reaction. Prior reports implicated β-keto radical formation in the ring opening of siloxycyclopropanes with photoinduced electron transfer (PET) to 1,4-dicyanonaphthalene [65]. Inspired by reports on dual photoredox and Ni-catalytic cross-coupling