Unprecedented visible light-initiated topochemical [2 + 2] cycloaddition in a functionalized bimane dye

• Metodej Dvoracek,
• Brendan Twamley,
• Mathias O. Senge and
• Mikhail A. Filatov

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 500–509, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.37

• E. M. Kosower in 1978. In this study, we report the topochemical cycloaddition of diethyl 2,6-dichloro-1,7-dioxo-1H,7H-pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyrazole-3,5-dicarboxylate (Cl2B), initiated by visible light. Crystal structure analysis confirmed that the reactive double bonds are parallel and coplanar, in line

• with the Schmidt criteria for topochemical cycloaddition. Additionally, two other bimane derivatives with different substitution patterns were synthesized and investigated. Our findings suggest that functionalizing bimanes to redshift their absorption maxima into the visible-light spectrum provides a

• a [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction, with approximately 20% yield of the dimer in the crystal. This was particularly notable, given that the compound had spent minimal time in solution with limited exposure to visible light, and no exposure to ultraviolet light. To further explore this phenomenon, we

Photomechanochemistry: harnessing mechanical forces to enhance photochemical reactions

• Francesco Mele,
• Ana M. Constantin,
• Andrea Porcheddu,
• Raimondo Maggi,
• Giovanni Maestri,
• Nicola Della Ca’ and
• Luca Capaldo

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 458–472, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.33

• rearrangements. Most organic molecules are colorless and, in fact, do not absorb visible light: highly energetic UV irradiation is typically needed. A milder approach is offered by photocatalytic approaches. Here, a photocatalyst is added to the reaction mixture to convert light energy into chemical potential to

• transform molecules. Intriguingly, photocatalysts typically absorb harmless visible light and can be chosen ad hoc to trigger the desired chemistry. Indeed, the photocatalyst–substrate interaction can occur via energy transfer [4][5][6][7][8], single-electron transfer [9][10][11][12], or hydrogen-atom

• interface two technologies, the authors opted to use mechanoluminescent powders to generate photons directly inside the jar. In more detail, SrAl2O4:Eu2+/Dy3+ (SAOED) was used as a mechanoluminescent material to drive the visible-light-mediated Hofmann–Loffler–Freytag (HLF) reaction (Scheme 12A). Thus, when

Red light excitation: illuminating photocatalysis in a new spectrum

• Lucas Fortier,
• Corentin Lefebvre and
• Norbert Hoffmann

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 296–326, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.22

• own a large span of colors depending on the nature of the metal and the ligands but also on the various oxidation states these compounds can attain. This property results on the absorption of a visible-light photon complementary to the observed color and has been extensively exploited in photoredox

• efficiency of photoredox-catalyzed reactions. Absorption in the red region opens up innovative opportunities for photochemical transformations. First, the employed photon has the lowest energy in the electromagnetic spectrum of visible light, which allows for safer laboratory conditions in terms of

• suppress side reactions. The cross-dehydrogenative coupling reactions, under near-infrared irradiation, was found to proceed via an energy-transfer mechanism involving singlet oxygen generation rather than the typical electron-transfer pathway observed in the presented visible-light-mediated reactions in

Visible-light-promoted radical cyclisation of unactivated alkenes in benzimidazoles: synthesis of difluoromethyl- and aryldifluoromethyl-substituted polycyclic imidazoles

• Yujun Pang,
• Jinglan Yan,
• Nawaf Al-Maharik,
• Qian Zhang,
• Zeguo Fang and
• Dong Li

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 234–241, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.15

• , Palestine 10.3762/bjoc.21.15 Abstract An efficient and eco-friendly approach for synthesizing difluoromethyl- and aryldifluoromethyl-substituted polycyclic imidazoles was established via a visible-light-promoted radical cyclization reaction. This method employed the readily accessible and inexpensive

• target products in good to excellent yields. Mechanistic studies revealed that the reaction proceeds via a radical pathway. Keywords: cyclization; difluoromethylation; hypervalent iodine; polycyclic imidazole; visible light; Introduction Organofluorine compounds continue to play important roles in

• reaction of unactivated alkenes within benzimidazole molecules using CF2HSO2Na [18]. Subsequently, in 2024, Jin [19] and Yang [20] developed visible light-induced difluoromethylation strategies for unactivated alkenes within benzimidazoles using different CF2H sources (CF2HSO2Na and ([Ph3PCF2H]+Br

Cu(OTf)₂-catalyzed multicomponent reactions

• Sara Colombo,
• Camilla Loro,
• Egle M. Beccalli,
• Gianluigi Broggini and
• Marta Papis

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 122–145, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.7

• and sulfur dioxide afforded vinyl sulfones with excellent regio- and stereoselectivity (Scheme 9) [22]. The authors used DABCO(SO2)2 to generate sulfur dioxide, and visible light irradiation and the mandatory presence of a photocatalyst for this transformation suggested a radical mechanism. The

Emerging trends in the optimization of organic synthesis through high-throughput tools and machine learning

• Pablo Quijano Velasco,
• Kedar Hippalgaonkar and
• Balamurugan Ramalingam

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 10–38, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.3

• with feedback DOE facilitated the rapid identification of appropriate solvents. Notably, the use of DMSO, DMF, and pyridine led to an enhanced yield of the monoalkylated product. An experimental setup was developed for single-droplet studies of visible-light photoredox catalysis using an oscillatory

Efficient synthesis of fluorinated triphenylenes with enhanced arene–perfluoroarene interactions in columnar mesophases

• Yang Chen,
• Jiao He,
• Hang Lin,
• Hai-Feng Wang,
• Ping Hu,
• Bi-Qin Wang,
• Ke-Qing Zhao and
• Bertrand Donnio

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3263–3273, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.270

• ] in combination with tunable absorption and emission of visible light. Polar nematic phase [23] and chiral columnar phase materials [24] based on polar fluorobenzene rings have also recently emerged as interesting new classes of fluorous materials, revealing their enormous potential in the high-tech

Multicomponent reactions driving the discovery and optimization of agents targeting central nervous system pathologies

• Lucía Campos-Prieto,
• Aitor García-Rey,
• Eddy Sotelo and
• Ana Mallo-Abreu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3151–3173, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.261

• other approaches such as visible light, microwaves, heterogeneous catalysis, and ultrasound [12][13][14][15]. Due to its versatility, one of the most prevalent of these MCRs is the Ugi reaction [16]. This reaction generally combines an isocyanide with an acid, an amine, and an aldehyde or ketone to

Advances in the use of metal-free tetrapyrrolic macrocycles as catalysts

• Mandeep K. Chahal

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3085–3112, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.257

• to absorb significant amounts of visible light photons, which allows them to reach an excited state. The excited porphyrin molecule is likely to undergo energy transfer (ET; photosensitization) or single-electron transfer (SET; photoredox catalysis) to substrate molecules (Figure 13). In

Extension of the π-system of monoaryl-substituted norbornadienes with acetylene bridges: influence on the photochemical conversion and storage of light energy

• Robin Schulte,
• Dustin Schade,
• Thomas Paululat,
• Till J. B. Zähringer,
• Christoph Kerzig and
• Heiko Ihmels

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3061–3068, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.254

• at 1.60–1.63 ppm, 1.69–1.71 ppm, 1.82–1.85 ppm, 2.07–2.11 ppm, and 2.21–2.25 ppm. Thus, it is possible to convert this monosubstituted norbornadiene efficiently into the corresponding quadricyclane with visible light, and thus also by sunlight. Unfortunately, the derivatives 1h and 1j–l,n could not

• amounts of unidentified by-products formed. Nevertheless, it was shown exemplarily that the photoisomerization can be performed under milder conditions and upon excitation with visible light in the presence of [Ru(phen)3](PF6)2 as a photosensitizer. Under these conditions, the derivatives 1i and 1l were

• converted quantitatively into quadricyclanes by irradiation with green light. Thus, it was shown with the latter results that the photosensitization with suitable triplet sensitizers enables mild conversion of visible light in chemical energy in quantitative photoreactions of norbornadienes, even in cases

Cyclodextrin-based rotaxanes for polymer materials: challenge on simultaneous realization of inexpensive production and defined structures

• Yosuke Akae

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3026–3049, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.252

• visible-light irradiation or heating, CD was moved back to the azobenzene moiety, and the entire process was reversible. This system was further developed in 2005 by introducing bipyridinium moieties to implement the selective transfer of the wheel via heating or light irradiation (Figure 5B) [57]. During

Advances in radical peroxidation with hydroperoxides

• Oleg V. Bityukov,
• Pavel Yu. Serdyuchenko,
• Andrey S. Kirillov,
• Gennady I. Nikishin,
• Vera A. Vil’ and
• Alexander O. Terent’ev

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2959–3006, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.249

• in Kwon’s review [34]. Cu-catalyzed oxygen atom transfer with TBHP were discussed in the review [35]. The review by Xiao considered visible light-driven C–C bond cleavage enabled with organic peroxides [36]. This comprehensive review summarizes all ever published studies on radical peroxidation with

• photocatalytic system under visible light irradiation (443 nm) [56]. Peroxidation of β-ketoesters, cyanoacetic esters, and malonic esters 37 was performed using the TBAI/TBHP system (Scheme 15) [57]. The highest product yields in the TBAI-catalyzed peroxidation were achieved with malonic acid esters, in contrast

• in situ-generated Cu(I) complexes was developed (Scheme 23) [43]. 2-Phenylbutane (64) was converted into peroxide 65 in a 70% yield with 4% ee. A visible light-induced direct decarboxylative peroxidation of carboxylic acids 66 with the formation of peroxides 67 under metal-free conditions using Mes

Recent advances in transition-metal-free arylation reactions involving hypervalent iodine salts

• Ritu Mamgain,
• Kokila Sakthivel and
• Fateh V. Singh

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2891–2920, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.243

• position of quinoline N-oxides and pyridine N-oxides, utilizing hypervalent iodine salts as the arylation reagents. The reaction was facilitated by visible light in conjunction with a photocatalyst. The absence of either the photocatalyst or light resulted in only trace amounts of the product, underscoring

• mechanism by adding 2 equivalents of TEMPO to the reaction mixture. The absence of the desired product indicated the involvement of a radical pathway in the process. The proposed reaction mechanism begins with the activation of eosin Y by visible light from 5 W blue LEDs, transitioning it to its excited

Interaction of a pyrene derivative with cationic [60]fullerene in phospholipid membranes and its effects on photodynamic actions

• Hayato Takagi,
• Çetin Çelik,
• Ryosuke Fukuda,
• Qi Guo,
• Tomohiro Higashino,
• Hiroshi Imahori,
• Yoko Yamakoshi and
• Tatsuya Murakami

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2732–2738, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.231

• Instutite for Liberal Arts and Sciences (ILAS), Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan 10.3762/bjoc.20.231 Abstract We have reported that upon visible light irradiation, ferrocene-porphyrin-[60]fullerene triad molecules yield long-lived charge-separated states, enabling the control of the plasma

• from a difference in electric charge on the two sides of the plasma membrane (approximately 5 nm thickness), with a slight excess of the positive ions inside relative to the negative ions outside. Our ferrocene-porphyrin-C60 triad molecule exhibited long-lived charge-separated states under visible

• light irradiation [7], with the C60 species becoming negatively charged while the ferrocene moiety became positively charged (Figure 1a). This charge-separated state can be used to initiate nanoscale electric fields, e.g., Vm. The design of the triad molecules may also help to keep their orientation

Synthesis of spiroindolenines through a one-pot multistep process mediated by visible light

• Francesco Gambuti,
• Jacopo Pizzorno,
• Chiara Lambruschini,
• Renata Riva and
• Lisa Moni

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2722–2731, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.230

• indole alkaloids. Here, we develop a novel approach for the one-pot multistep synthesis of different spiro[indole-isoquinolines]. The protocol proposed involves the visible light mediated oxidation of N-aryl tertiary amines using bromochloroform with the generation of a reactive iminium species, which

• reacts with an isocyanide and an electron-rich aniline in a three-component Ugi-type reaction to give an α-aminoamidine. This compound might undergo an additional visible light-mediated oxidation to furnish a second iminium intermediate, which acts as electrophile in an intramolecular electrophilic

• : isocyanide; multicomponent reactions; one-pot reaction; oxidation; spiroindolenine; Ugi reaction; visible light; Introduction Diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) is a successful approach to biologically active scaffolds directed to create an enormous exploratory space in pharmaceutical hit discovery [1][2

Photoluminescence color-tuning with polymer-dispersed fluorescent films containing two fluorinated diphenylacetylene-type fluorophores

• Kazuki Kobayashi,
• Shigeyuki Yamada,
• Motohiro Yasui and
• Tsutomu Konno

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2682–2690, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.225

• especially indispensable for our affluent life, is more difficult than the development of the blue-, yellow-, and red-light-emitting molecules mentioned above [24][25][26]. Therefore, to achieve white luminescence covering the entire spectral range of the visible light region, two or more colors of

Anion-dependent ion-pairing assemblies of triazatriangulenium cation that interferes with stacking structures

• Yohei Haketa,
• Takuma Matsuda and
• Hiromitsu Maeda

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2567–2576, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.215

• +) cations, used as visible light fluorescent dyes, have been synthesized via a nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) reaction with primary alkylamines (e.g., 1a+; Figure 1) [15][16]. The highly planar geometry of the TATA+ core unit induces π–π stacking structures in single-crystal and film states, as

Visible-light-mediated flow protocol for Achmatowicz rearrangement

• Joachyutharayalu Oja,
• Sanjeev Kumar and
• Srihari Pabbaraja

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2493–2499, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.213

• and development of a visible light-assisted modular photo-flow reactor with a seamlessly integrated post-synthetic work-up procedure enabling the efficient synthesis of dihydropyranones from furfuryl alcohols. The reaction uses sun light as green energy source, and the novel photo-flow reactor

• a result, developing an alternative strategy would be an attractive solution to address the limitations described above. Flow chemistry was chosen as the most attractive alternative for the photo-induced (visible light) Achmatowicz rearrangement to convert furfuryl alcohol scaffolds into

• product synthesis. Scope of the integrated continuous photo-flow (visible light)-induced Achmatowicz rearrangement reaction. Reaction conditions: Stock solution (A) comprise of 2/K2S2O8/Ru(bpy)3Cl·6H2O/ACN/DMSO/H2O in a molar ratio of 1:1:0.005:70:54:408; yields are based on isolated yields. Proposed

O,S,Se-containing Biginelli products based on cyclic β-ketosulfone and their postfunctionalization

• Kateryna V. Dil and
• Vitalii A. Palchykov

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2143–2151, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.184

• ][4][9] or even visible light-driven methods [25][26][27][28]. We started our study from the optimization of the reaction conditions using β-ketosulfone 1, benzaldehyde and thiourea as model reaction. According to the literature, the reaction has been shown to work best and most efficiently under

Efficacy of radical reactions of isocyanides with heteroatom radicals in organic synthesis

• Akiya Ogawa and
• Yuki Yamamoto

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2114–2128, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.182

• , when using sunlight, which is an inexhaustible natural energy, it is expected to be the most environmentally friendly method. The homolysis of E–E upon visible light irradiation is induced by exciting one electron of the isolated electron pair on E to the anti-bonding orbital of the E–E-bond (σ

• %). Since it is known that the carbon radical capturing ability of (PhTe)2 is even four times higher than that of (PhSe)2 [31], we investigated the radical addition to isocyanides using a disulfide–ditelluride binary system under photoirradiation. The visible-light-irradiated thiotelluration reaction did

• not proceed at all for normal isocyanides, but for aromatic isocyanides with electron-withdrawing groups (EWG) such as p-NO2, p-CF3, p-CN, p-Cl, and m-MeO, the desired thiotelluration reaction proceeded under visible light irradiation to successfully afford the corresponding thiotelluration products 4

Understanding X-ray-induced isomerisation in photoswitchable surfactant assemblies

• Beatrice E. Jones,
• Camille Blayo,
• Jake L. Greenfield,
• Matthew J. Fuchter,
• Nathan Cowieson and
• Rachel C. Evans

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2005–2015, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.176

• ]. In addition to this, AAPTAB has a high thermal half-life at room temperature (5.7 years [19]), meaning there is no significant contribution from thermal Z–E isomerisation over the course of these experiments. Using in-situ UV- and visible-light irradiation with SAXS, here we measure the intermediate

• that Z–E isomerisation cannot be easily induced using gentle heating or visible light, as shown by the stability of the UV–vis absorbance spectra and SAXS patterns under these conditions (Figures S1 and S3, Supporting Information File 1). In contrast, irradiation with X-rays leads to significant

A facile three-component route to powerful 5-aryldeazaalloxazine photocatalysts

• Ivana Weisheitelová,
• Radek Cibulka,
• Marek Sikorski and
• Tetiana Pavlovska

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1831–1838, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.161

• /alloxazine photoredox catalysis [9][14][15][16][17][18][19], 7-methoxyderivatives should also be considered due to their absorption closer to the visible light region. This allows longer wavelength LEDs with lower energy photons to be applied, potentially contributing to avoiding undesired reactions [14][15

• potent, biologically active compounds. Interestingly, the introduction of a strong methoxy group at position 7 of the 5-aryldeazaalloxazine core led to a bathochromic shift in the absorption spectra of the synthesised molecules, making them more suitable for visible light photocatalysis. Experimental

Supramolecular assemblies of amphiphilic donor–acceptor Stenhouse adducts as macroscopic soft scaffolds

• Ka-Lung Hung,
• Leong-Hung Cheung,
• Yikun Ren,
• Ming-Hin Chau,
• Yan-Yi Lam,
• Takashi Kajitani and
• Franco King-Chi Leung

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1590–1603, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.142

• moiety. The excellent photoswitchability in organic medium and the photoresponsiveness in aqueous medium, driven by visible light, were investigated by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The assembled supramolecular nanostructures were confirmed by electron microscopy, while the supramolecular packing was

• revealed by X-ray diffraction analysis. Upon visible-light irradiation, significant transformations of the DA geometry enabled transformations of the supramolecular assemblies on a microscopic scale, subsequently disassembling macroscopic soft scaffolds of DAs. The current work shows promising use for the

• fabrication of visible-light-controlled macroscopic scaffolds, offering the next generation of biomedical materials with visible-light-controlled microenvironments and future soft-robotic systems. Keywords: donor–acceptor Stenhouse adduct; photoresponsive molecular amphiphile; supramolecular transformation

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

• pioneering report in 2013 that used photocatalyst 9-fluorenone under visible-light irradiation to generate a photoexcited aryl ketone, capable of HAT to promote benzylic fluorination with Selectfluor (Figure 23) [69]. The reaction tolerated an exceptional range of functional groups and enabled the

• disclosed the use of catalytic amounts of the organic dye Acr+-Mes under visible-light irradiation in combination with stoichiometric amounts of Selectfluor to achieve benzylic fluorination (Figure 29) [74]. It was proposed that a SET between Selectfluor and the photoexcited catalyst liberated fluoride and

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

• esters, the so called "Barton esters", for decarboxylative cyanation of aliphatic acids with tosyl cyanide as the nitrile source under visible light irradiation at room temperature [21][22]. Although two synthetic steps are required, this is the first practical decarboxylative cyanation protocol because

• by anodic oxidation and visible light irradiation of the Ce species in a sequential fashion [38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45]. Therefore, the anodic electrode potential for this process could be substantially reduced. In doing so, a low working potential at the anode offers the opportunity for