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

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

• targeted absorption wavelength, and the overall efficacy. Researchers continue to explore and design photocatalysts to enhance the performance in various photocatalytic applications. Visible-light-induced photoredox catalysis has been used in a variety of chemical reactions, including C–C, C–N, C–O, and C

• –halogen bond formation, as well as C–H functionalization [27]. Some notable examples include C–H arylation, various cross-coupling reactions, oxidative coupling, and photocatalytic radical reactions. The advantages of visible-light-induced photoredox catalysis are due to the ability to utilize visible

(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

• 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

• was developed by Anderson and co-workers and was shown to be the more versatile than initiator-free activation. Both initiator-free and Et3B-initiated reactions only tolerated electrophilic radicals (to 134a and 134e), while photoredox catalysis also tolerated electron-rich radicals (to 134b). The

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

• 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

• where NHPI esters have been utilized as radical precursors under electrochemical conditions. Giese-type radical additions, which are usually performed under conditions of photoredox-catalysis (see Scheme 4), can also be achieved under constant-potential electrolysis employing graphite electrodes [110

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

• , 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

• obtain, thus greatly impeding the widespread application of photoredox catalysis in large-scale industrial processes. In this context, in 2019, Shang, Fu, and their colleagues made an important breakthrough in addressing these above-mentioned limitations [6]. They disclosed a photocatalytic

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

• 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

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

• 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

• . A) Effect of the addition of 1 equiv of various acids and bases to the standard solution. B) Effect of the addition of 1 equiv of various salts to the standard solution. Oxidation of heteroatoms. Graphical representation comparing A electrochemistry and B photoredox catalysis using a semiconductor

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

• 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

• ground state catalyst [21][22][23][24][25][26]. While early research has focused on methods for the functionalization of relatively simple hydrocarbons [27][28][29][30], developments in photoredox catalysis have gained traction recently as a viable strategy for the total synthesis of natural products [31

• their ability to participate in either redox step of the catalytic cycle [42][43][44][45]. For example, the main use of α-amino acids in syntheses via photoredox catalysis is as readily available precursors of regioselective α-amino radicals by decarboxylative transformations, by oxidation of the

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

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

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