Redox-active molecules as organocatalysts for selective oxidative transformations – an unperceived organocatalysis field

• Elena R. Lopat’eva,
• Igor B. Krylov,
• Dmitry A. Lapshin and
• Alexander O. Terent’ev

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 1672–1695, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.179

• cycle turnover. The subclass of such reactions in which a catalyst is activated by light (photoredox catalysis, Scheme 1, type IV), especially visible, has gained much attention in the last decade. A considerable number of good reviews was published, both general [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28

• perform the CH-functionalization of alkanes by electron-deficient alkenes. Photoredox catalysis was employed for the one-electron oxidation of the DABCO-derived organocatalyst to the dication radical. The authors noted that the introduction of a substituent X near the radical center further improves the

• -coupling involving aldehyde C–H bond cleavage. DABCO-derived cationic catalysts in inactivated C–H bond cleavage for alkyl radical addition to electron-deficient alkenes under photoredox catalysis conditions. Electrochemical diamination and dioxygenation of vinylarenes catalyzed by triarylamines

Electrochemical formal homocoupling of sec-alcohols

• Kosuke Yamamoto,
• Kazuhisa Arita,
• Masashi Shiota,
• Masami Kuriyama and
• Osamu Onomura

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 1062–1069, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.108

• ][16][17][18]. In addition to the reductive coupling of carbonyl compounds, oxidative homocoupling reactions of benzyl alcohols under transition metal- or semiconductor-based photoredox catalysis have been demonstrated as attractive approaches to access vic-1,2-diols [19][20][21][22][23

Heteroleptic metallosupramolecular aggregates/complexation for supramolecular catalysis

• Prodip Howlader and
• Michael Schmittel

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 597–630, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.62

• catalysts that allow ON/OFF reaction control in photoredox catalysis [120], phosphate diester transesterification [121], Friedel–Crafts reaction, ring opening of epoxides, oligomerization [116], and acyl-transfer reactions [122][123]. While there are further examples by Mirkin [124][125][126], Schmittel

Earth-abundant 3d transition metals on the rise in catalysis

• Nikolaos Kaplaneris and
• Lutz Ackermann

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 86–88, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.8

• functionalization enabled the de novo assembly of bioactive molecules [9]. The full potential of the mild nature of C–H functionalization is unlocked by the merger with modern photochemistry and electrocatalysis manifolds. In this context, recent advances were realized by the combination of photoredox catalysis and

Iron-catalyzed domino coupling reactions of π-systems

• Austin Pounder and
• William Tam

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2848–2893, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.196

Selective sulfonylation and isonitrilation of para-quinone methides employing TosMIC as a source of sulfonyl group or isonitrile group

• Chuanhua Qu,
• Run Huang,
• Yong Li,
• Tong Liu,
• Yuan Chen and
• Guiting Song

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2822–2831, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.193

• substitution process. For example, compound 3b reacted with difluoroenolate to form the difluoroalkylated diarylmethane 5 in 83% yield via a Cu(OAc)2-catalyzed hydrodifluoroalkylation reaction [52]. Two other examples were the use of photoredox catalysis to generate acyl anions in situ from aromatic carboxylic

Electrocatalytic C(sp³)–H/C(sp)–H cross-coupling in continuous flow through TEMPO/copper relay catalysis

• Bin Guo and
• Hai-Chao Xu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2650–2656, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.178

• temperatures [3][4][5], prompting the development of mild conditions by merging photoredox catalysis with copper catalysis (Scheme 1B) [8][9]. Notwithstanding of these outstanding achievements, noble metal-based catalysts and chemical oxidants are employed under these photochemical conditions. Organic

Visible-light-mediated copper photocatalysis for organic syntheses

• Yajing Zhang,
• Qian Wang,
• Zongsheng Yan,
• Donglai Ma and
• Yuguang Zheng

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2520–2542, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.169

• Yajing Zhang Qian Wang Zongsheng Yan Donglai Ma Yuguang Zheng Traditional Chinese Medicine Processing Technology Innovation Center of Hebei Province, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050200, P. R. China 10.3762/bjoc.17.169 Abstract Photoredox catalysis has been applied to

• ; mechanisms of copper photocatalysis; photoinduced copper-based catalysis; photoredox catalysis; special features of copper photocatalysis; Introduction Solar light is an inexhaustible and free energy source for green plants and bacteria. Photosynthetic organisms absorb solar energy and convert it into

• chemical energy via photosynthesis [1]. Photochemical reactions mimic natural photosynthesis, and photoredox catalysis plays a key role in energy-transfer processes [2][3][4][5]. Over the past decades, photoredox catalysis has attracted an increasing amount of attention [6][7][8][9], and a series of

A visible-light-induced, metal-free bis-arylation of 2,5-dichlorobenzoquinone

• Pieterjan Winant and
• Wim Dehaen

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2315–2320, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.149

• journal [22]. Attempts at reducing aryldiazonium salts organocatalytically have also been successful [23][24][25][26]. Inspired by the seminal work by Sanford [27], König et al. [28] designed a simple and effective CH-arylation reaction combining diazonium chemistry with photoredox catalysis. By using

Photoredox catalysis in nickel-catalyzed C–H functionalization

• Lusina Mantry,
• Rajaram Maayuri,
• Vikash Kumar and
• Parthasarathy Gandeepan

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2209–2259, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.143

• combined with radical species [41][42][43], a wide variety of reactions have been discovered. Within a remarkable renaissance of photoredox dual catalysis, nickel/photoredox catalysis has recently been identified as a viable C‒H functionalization tool under milder reaction conditions [40][44][45][46][47

• (Scheme 7b). In a subsequent report, Yu and co-workers also realized the arylation of α-amino C(sp3)‒H bonds with aryl tosylates 11 generated in situ from phenols 12 and p-toluenesulfonyl chloride (TsCl) [59][60]. The combination of visible-light-photoredox catalysis, hydrogen-atom-transfer catalysis, and

• challenging operation in organic synthesis. While significant advances had been accomplished with (hetero)aromatic C(sp2)–H alkylations [79][80][81], examples for C(sp3)–C(sp3) couplings through C–H activation are scarce [82][83][84]. In this context, a synergistic combination of photoredox catalysis and

On the application of 3d metals for C–H activation toward bioactive compounds: The key step for the synthesis of silver bullets

• Renato L. Carvalho,
• Amanda S. de Miranda,
• Mateus P. Nunes,
• Roberto S. Gomes,
• Guilherme A. M. Jardim and
• Eufrânio N. da Silva Júnior

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1849–1938, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.126

• retinoic acid receptor agonist analogue 63 and an estrone acetate derivative 64 (Scheme 22D). A seminal work involving manganese-catalyzed C–H organic electrosynthesis and photoredox catalysis was reported in the same year by Lei and co-workers, also regarding the azidation of alkyl scaffolds (Scheme 23A

Heterogeneous photocatalytic cyanomethylarylation of alkenes with acetonitrile: synthesis of diverse nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds

• Guanglong Pan,
• Qian Yang,
• Wentao Wang,
• Yurong Tang and
• Yunfei Cai

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1171–1180, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.89

• microwave stimulations [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]. Recently, visible light photoredox catalysis has emerged as a powerful and environment-friendly method in organic synthesis by activating organic molecules under mild reaction conditions [27][28]. In this context, the Li and Cai groups

Metal-free synthesis of biarenes via photoextrusion in di(tri)aryl phosphates

• Hisham Qrareya,
• Lorenzo Meazza,
• Stefano Protti and
• Maurizio Fagnoni

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 3008–3014, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.250

• ], aryl sulfonates [36], and in aryl trifluoroethyl sulfate [37], Scheme 1a) followed by the reaction of the thus formed aryl cation with an aromatic substrate. In an alternative approach, aryl radicals may be generated under photoredox catalysis conditions (mostly from arene diazonium salts or aryl

Recent developments in enantioselective photocatalysis

• Callum Prentice,
• James Morrisson,
• Andrew D. Smith and
• Eli Zysman-Colman

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 2363–2441, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.197

• transformative synthetic strategy, including in enantioselective synthesis. From the pioneering work by MacMillan [1] and Bach [2], enantioselective photocatalysis has grown into a well-established field of its own. A large proportion of photocatalysis focuses on photoredox catalysis, which involves single

• with photoredox catalysis was reported by Nicewicz and MacMillan [1] for the alpha alkylation of aldehydes 1 with various alkyl bromides bearing an electron-withdrawing substituent 2, which while seemingly trivial, was not possible with enamine catalysis alone (Scheme 1). The proposed mechanism

• /ketones 33 with glycine derivatives 34 to synthesise the corresponding products 35 in good yields and excellent enantioselectivities (35 examples, up to 99:1 er) (Scheme 4b) [30]. The previous examples of enamine/photoredox catalysis have all required two or more separate catalysts. Currently, three

Photosensitized direct C–H fluorination and trifluoromethylation in organic synthesis

• Shahboz Yakubov and
• Joshua P. Barham

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 2151–2192, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.183

• reactions proceed under photoredox catalysis (PRC), involving Dexter electron transfer. Such photoredox reactions begin with the excitation of the photocatalyst (PC) by visible light, followed by a single-electron transfer (SET) between the excited photocatalyst and another molecule (quencher, Scheme 2A

A complementary approach to conjugated N-acyliminium formation through photoredox-catalyzed intermolecular radical addition to allenamides and allencarbamates

• Olusesan K. Koleoso,
• Matthew Turner,
• Felix Plasser and
• Marc C. Kimber

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1983–1990, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.165

• radical addition, using photoredox catalysis, to allenamides and allencarbamates is reported. This transformation synthesizes N-acyl-N’-aryl-N,N’-allylaminals, and proceeds by a conjugated N-acyliminium intermediate that previously has principally been generated by electrophilic activation methods. The

• in the synthesis of N,N’-aminals [50]. Therefore, photoredox-catalysis would be employed to generate an electrophilic radical that would add to the central carbon of the allenamide 1 to give a transient radical 13, whose oxidation, facilitated by the photoredox catalyst [47][48], would provide the

When metal-catalyzed C–H functionalization meets visible-light photocatalysis

• Lucas Guillemard and
• Joanna Wencel-Delord

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1754–1804, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.147

• previous functionalization, thus considerably reduce waste generation and a number of synthetic steps. In parallel, transformations involving photoredox catalysis promote radical reactions in the absence of radical initiators. They are conducted under particularly mild conditions while using the visible

• catalytic system is extremely appealing. In that perspective, the scope of this review aims to present innovative reactions combining C–H activation and visible-light induced photocatalysis. Keywords: C–H activation; C–H functionalization; dual catalysis; photoredox catalysis; radical chemistry

• catalysis with a second catalytic system has sparked significant interest from the scientific community. Accordingly, numerous unprecedented reactions involving photoredox catalysis in synergy with other activation modes including Brønsted/Lewis acid catalysis, organocatalysis, enzymatic biocatalysis, or

Heterogeneous photocatalysis in flow chemical reactors

• Christopher G. Thomson,
• Ai-Lan Lee and
• Filipe Vilela

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1495–1549, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.125

• some interesting reactor designs that could be implemented to enhance organic synthesis. Keywords: air purification; flow chemistry; heterogeneous photoredox catalysis; organic synthesis; reactor design; water purification; Review 1 Introduction 1.1 Scope of the review This review aims to be of

• discussion of the advantages and disadvantages to guide the reader in selecting the reactor best suited to their system. Following this, in Section 4, we review the recent applications of HPCats in flow reactors for synthetic organic chemistry through photoredox catalysis (PRC, Section 4.1) and energy

• visible light through single-electron transfer processes, now referred to as visible light photoredox catalysis (PRC). A similar query on the Web of Science for the term “Photoredox” clearly shows the surge in PRC research following those reports, from 2010 onwards (Figure 1A). However, what is

Photocatalyzed syntheses of phenanthrenes and their aza-analogues. A review

• Alessandra Del Tito,
• Havall Othman Abdulla,
• Davide Ravelli,
• Stefano Protti and
• Maurizio Fagnoni

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1476–1488, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.123

• is a quite unexplored field, a notable exception being the seminal work published in 1984 by Cano-Yelo and Deronzier, where the authors reported one of the first applications of the Ru(bpy)32+ complex in photoredox catalysis (Scheme 1). This contribution described a photo-Pschorr cyclization

An overview on disulfide-catalyzed and -cocatalyzed photoreactions

• Yeersen Patehebieke

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1418–1435, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.118

• . Under photoirradiation, organic disulfides can be easily cleaved into free thiyl radicals (RS•) and can reversibly add to unsaturated multiple bonds to catalyze a variety of functionalization reactions under mild conditions. In photoredox catalysis reactions, an excellent electron transfer ability and

• variety of reactions, renders them a class of green, economic, mild, and chemoselective radical catalyst. Apart from this, they are also excellent HAT catalysts in photoredox catalysis systems [2][3]. In various types of organic photochemistry reactions, such as cyclizations, anti-Markovnikov additions

Photocatalytic trifluoromethoxylation of arenes and heteroarenes in continuous-flow

• Alexander V. Nyuchev,
• Ting Wan,
• Borja Cendón,
• Carlo Sambiagio,
• Job J. C. Struijs,
• Michelle Ho,
• Moisés Gulías,
• Ying Wang and
• Timothy Noël

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1305–1312, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.111

• , partially due to the general interest of the community into C–H functionalization methodologies [18][19], and partially thanks to the synthetic possibilities enabled by photoredox catalysis, a field widely explored in recent years [20][21][22]. In 2018, Ngai [23][24] and Togni [25] reported simple

• residence time up to 16 times in comparison to the batch procedure, while achieving similar or higher yields. In addition, the use of inorganic bases was demonstrated to increase the reaction yield under batch conditions. Keywords: C–H functionalization; continuous-flow; organic synthesis; photoredox

• catalysis; trifluoromethoxylation; Introduction The number of fluorine-containing compounds and their influence in medicine and agrochemistry are increasing every year [1][2]. The introduction in a drug (or a bioactive compound in general) of single fluorine atoms, or multiple fluorine-containing

Photocatalysis with organic dyes: facile access to reactive intermediates for synthesis

• Stephanie G. E. Amos,
• Marion Garreau,
• Luca Buzzetti and
• Jerome Waser

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1163–1187, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.103

• -, nitrogen-, oxygen-, and sulfur-centered radicals, open-shell charged species, and sensitized organic compounds. Keywords: organic dyes; photocatalysis; photoredox catalysis; radicals; reactive intermediates; Review Introduction In the last decade, synthetic organic chemistry has experienced the

• each of these steps, the role of A or D is assumed by a redox-active agent, either the substrate, a sacrificial electron donor/acceptor, or a reactive intermediate. This approach, usually named photoredox catalysis, has known a remarkable growth in the last decade and has given access to both neutral

• [32]. Recently, photoredox catalysis has emerged as a powerful tool to access C(sp3) radicals, and organic dyes (ODs) have been demonstrated to act as competent photocatalysts for these light-mediated reactions. The main strategies used include decarboxylations from carboxylic acid derivatives (CO2X

Recent applications of porphyrins as photocatalysts in organic synthesis: batch and continuous flow approaches

• Rodrigo Costa e Silva,
• Luely Oliveira da Silva,
• Aloisio de Andrade Bartolomeu,
• Timothy John Brocksom and
• Kleber Thiago de Oliveira

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 917–955, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.83

• metal-organic (MOF) and covalent-organic frameworks (COF), have significantly expanded the use of these compounds in photoredox catalysis due to the singular electronic features of these materials and chemical robustness as catalysts. The appearance of porphyrins as photoredox catalysts for C–C bond

• the same authors using 2 mol % of a Ru complex as photocatalyst (44–88%) [24]. The mechanism proposed by the authors was supported by the detection of some reaction intermediates, and suggest that TPP works in both energy transfer and photoredox catalysis (Scheme 2). Subsequently, Gryko’s group

• photoarylation of isopropenyl acetate. The corresponding α-aryl ketone was obtained in 28–53% overall yield depending on the scale. An 8 h experiment was conducted in a continuous steady-state mode, producing the same α-aryl ketone in 48% yield on a 3 gram-scale (Scheme 5B). Photoredox catalysis is not limited

Aldehydes as powerful initiators for photochemical transformations

• Maria A. Theodoropoulou,
• Nikolaos F. Nikitas and
• Christoforos G. Kokotos

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 833–857, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.76

• presented. Keywords: aldehyde; green chemistry; photochemistry; photoinitiation; sustainable chemistry; Introduction Photochemistry, and especially photoredox catalysis have altered the way that modern researchers treat radical species [1][2][3][4]. In most cases, a metal-based photocatalyst is employed

Photocatalytic deaminative benzylation and alkylation of tetrahydroisoquinolines with N-alkylpyrydinium salts

• David Schönbauer,
• Carlo Sambiagio,
• Timothy Noël and
• Michael Schnürch

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 809–817, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.74

• (sp3) coupling; deaminative coupling; Katritzky salt; photoredox catalysis; Introduction The selective formation of new carbon–carbon bonds via direct C–H functionalization bears the potential of being a process of high efficiency [1][2][3]. Since C–H bonds are omnipresent in organic compounds it is

• ], alkynation [17][18], or allylation [19]), this method has certain drawbacks, most importantly the frequent requirement of superstoichiometric amounts of an oxidant. Hence, alternative methods were investigated and photoredox catalysis proved to be a viable option [20][21][22]. By now, several different

• methods for C–C bond formation at the α position of these amines have been studied under photoredox catalysis (Scheme 1) [23][24][25][26]. Among the functionalized THIQs, 1-benzyl-substituted analogues were shown to be able to modulate Ca/K channels, and the synthesis of these compounds is therefore of