Photocatalytic nucleophilic addition of alcohols to styrenes in Markovnikov and anti-Markovnikov orientation

• Martin Weiser,
• Sergej Hermann,
• Alexander Penner and
• Hans-Achim Wagenknecht

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2015, 11, 568–575, doi:10.3762/bjoc.11.62

• ) and styrene (6) into the Markovnikov- and anti-Markovnikov-type products was selectively achieved with 1-(N,N-dimethylamino)pyrene (Py) and 1,7-dicyanoperylene-3,4:9,10-tetracarboxylic acid bisimide (PDI) as photoredox catalysts. The regioselectivity was controlled by the photocatalyst. For the

• light sources, the research field of photoredox catalysis has tremendously grown over the past decade [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Transition metal complexes, mainly [Ru(bpy)3]2+ [7], were most often used as photocatalysts, whereas the potential of organic compounds and dyes has not yet been fully exploited

• [8]. The way towards a really complete organo-type photoredox catalysis has mainly been established for eosin Y as an important alternative for [Ru(bpy)3]2+ [9]. Photocatalytic nucleophilic additions of amines and alcohols to olefins, especially styrenes, became an increasingly important task due to

Eosin Y-catalyzed visible-light-mediated aerobic oxidative cyclization of N,N-dimethylanilines with maleimides

• Zhongwei Liang,
• Song Xu,
• Wenyan Tian and
• Ronghua Zhang

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2015, 11, 425–430, doi:10.3762/bjoc.11.48

• as a photocatalyst has been developed. The metal-free protocol involves aerobic oxidative cyclization via sp3 C–H bond functionalization process to afford good yields in a one-pot procedure under mild conditions. Keywords: aerobic oxidative cyclization; C–H functionalization; Eosin Y; photoredox

• catalysis; visible light; Introduction Over the past several years, visible light photoredox catalysis has become a powerful and promising tool and has been productively used to drive chemical transformations in the field of organic synthesis [1][2][3][4][5][6]. The approach takes full advantage of visible

• light, which is clean, abundant, and renewable. The pioneering work in this research area, reported by the groups of MacMillan [7][8][9], Yoon [10][11], Stephenson [12][13] and others [14][15][16][17][18], has demonstrated that ruthenium and iridium complexes as visible light photoredox catalysts are

An improved procedure for the preparation of Ru(bpz)₃(PF₆)₂ via a high-yielding synthesis of 2,2’-bipyrazine

• Danielle M. Schultz,
• James W. Sawicki and
• Tehshik P. Yoon

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2015, 11, 61–65, doi:10.3762/bjoc.11.9

• suited for oxidatively induced photoredox transformations. We present here a straightforward and high-yielding route to Ru(bpz)3(PF6)2 that features an improved Pd-catalyzed synthesis of the 2,2’-bipyrazine ligand that is amenable to gram-scale preparations. Keywords: heterocycles; ligand synthesis

• ; palladium; photocatalysis; reductive coupling; Findings Visible light-photoredox catalysis using transition metal chromophores is rapidly becoming recognized as an important strategy in organic synthesis [1][2][3][4][5]. This approach towards reaction design enables the facile generation and exploitation

• of odd-electron intermediates such as radicals and radical ions under exceptionally mild reaction conditions. A large number of transition metal chromophores with well-characterized photophysical and electrochemical properties are known, and the influence of ligand modification on the photoredox

Visible-light-induced bromoetherification of alkenols for the synthesis of β-bromotetrahydrofurans and -tetrahydropyrans

• Run Lin,
• Hongnan Sun,
• Chao Yang,
• Youdong Yang,
• Xinxin Zhao and
• Wujiong Xia

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2015, 11, 31–36, doi:10.3762/bjoc.11.5

• photoredox-catalyzed bromoetherification of alkenols is described. This approach, with CBr4 as the bromine source through generation of bromine in situ, provides a mild and operationally simple access to the synthesis of β-bromotetrahydrofurans and -tetrahydropyrans with high efficiency and regioselectivity

• . Keywords: alkenols; bromoetherification; photoredox catalysis; visible light; Introduction The halocyclization of alkenes provides an excellent synthetic method for halogenated heterocycles [1][2][3]. In recent years, haloaminocyclization [4][5], halolactonization [6][7] and haloetherification [8][9] of

• reported that visible-light-induced photoredox catalysis could serve as a more environmental-friendly alternative reaction system to obtain Br2 in situ from CBr4, an oxidative quencher of photoredox catalyst [16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. Thus, as part of difunctionalization of alkenes, with our continuous

One-pot functionalisation of N-substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines by photooxidation and tunable organometallic trapping of iminium intermediates

• Joshua P. Barham,
• Matthew P. John and
• John A. Murphy

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 2981–2988, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.316

• . Keywords: iminium salt; organometallic; oxidative functionalisation; photoredox catalysis; tetrahydroisoquinoline; Introduction Tetrahydroisoquinolines (THIQs) are structural motifs prominent within biologically active natural products and pharmaceutical compounds [1][2]. From (−)-carnegine (1, a

• tertiary amine substrates and unstabilised carbon nucleophiles. Recently, visible-light photoredox catalysis has gained interest as a technique for oxidative functionalisation [34][35]. An important feature of photoredox catalysis is that different photocatalysts have different redox potentials upon

• accessing the excited state [18][34][36]. The ability to adjust oxidising power through photocatalyst choice renders the transformation substrate-tunable. Thus, we selected photoredox catalysis as an oxidative functionalisation whose substrate scope might be extended (by catalyst selection) in future

Visible light photoredox-catalyzed deoxygenation of alcohols

• Daniel Rackl,
• Viktor Kais,
• Peter Kreitmeier and
• Oliver Reiser

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 2157–2165, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.223

• developed is limited to benzylic, α-carbonyl, and α-cyanoalcohols; with other alcohols a slow partial C–F bond reduction in the 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzoate moiety occurs. Keywords: C–O bond activation; deoxygenation; photochemistry; photoredox catalysis; visible light; Introduction The dwindling

• = 2-phenylpyridine) as photoredox catalyst (Scheme 1) [10]. This protocol is applicable to a broad range of alcohols. It also greatly advanced the quest to develop sustainable methods for the deoxygenation of alcohols. Yet, several redox steps, i.e., the stoichiometric transformation of

• an initial photoredox electron transfer that we considered in analogy to the Barton–McCombie technology to be crucial to trigger deoxygenations. Initial deoxygenation experiments were carried out with either Ru(bpy)3Cl2·6H2O [bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine] or [Ir(ppy)2(dtb-bpy)](PF6) [ppy = 2-phenylpyridine

Cyclization–endoperoxidation cascade reactions of dienes mediated by a pyrylium photoredox catalyst

• Nathan J. Gesmundo and
• David A. Nicewicz

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 1272–1281, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.128

• to 79%. Keywords: alkene; cascade; endoperoxide; oxidation; photoredox catalysis; Introduction Endoperoxides are a structurally unique class of naturally-occurring compounds that feature a reactive cyclic peroxide moiety of varying ring sizes (Figure 1). The lability of the endocyclic peroxide O–O

• the reactivity of the diene with respect to its structure to better predict the mode of diene cation radical cyclization (5-exo vs 6-endo). Herein is reported an organocatalytic photoredox-mediated strategy for the endoperoxidation of 1,5-dienes using 3O2 to rapidly generate complex endoperoxide

Visible-light photoredox catalyzed synthesis of pyrroloisoquinolines via organocatalytic oxidation/[3 + 2] cycloaddition/oxidative aromatization reaction cascade with Rose Bengal

• Carlos Vila,
• Jonathan Lau and
• Magnus Rueping

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 1233–1238, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.122

• Carlos Vila Jonathan Lau Magnus Rueping Institute of Organic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 1, D-52074 Aachen, Germany 10.3762/bjoc.10.122 Abstract Pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline alkaloids have been prepared via a visible light photoredox catalyzed oxidation/[3 + 2] cycloaddition

• /oxidative aromatization cascade using Rose Bengal as an organo-photocatalyst. A variety of pyrroloisoquinolines have been obtained in good yields under mild and metal-free reaction conditions. Keywords: alkaloids; [3 + 2] cycloaddition; organocatalysis; oxidation; photochemistry; photoredox catalysis; Rose

• [32]. Despite these elegant and important syntheses of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines through dipolar [3 + 2] cycloaddition, the development of metal-free syntheses using visible light photoredox catalysis with simple organic dyes remained unexplored. Visible-light photoredox catalysis has emerged as an

Homogeneous and heterogeneous photoredox-catalyzed hydroxymethylation of ketones and keto esters: catalyst screening, chemoselectivity and dilution effects

• Axel G. Griesbeck and
• Melissa Reckenthäler

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 1143–1150, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.114

• ; photocatalysis; photoredox catalysis; redox; semiconductor; Introduction Stimulated by the principles of sustainable chemical synthesis and the progress in our understanding of catalytic and photoinduced electron-transfer processes, in recent years photoredox catalysis emerged as a new and powerful area for

• advanced synthesis [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. There are numerous features that characterize an effective photoredox catalytic cycle: light absorption, charge separation, charge transport and annihilation as well as the use of appropriate sacrificial compounds such as electron and hole donors

• visible region and appropriate redox activity in the excited states. Many potent photoredox catalysts with sufficient long-term stability are transition metal complexes with excited MLCT states that can be generated in the visible. Another important group of photocatalytic active compounds are

Direct C–H trifluoromethylation of di- and trisubstituted alkenes by photoredox catalysis

• Ren Tomita,
• Yusuke Yasu,
• Takashi Koike and
• Munetaka Akita

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 1099–1106, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.108

• –CF3 bonds is highly demanded. Results: The photoredox reaction of alkenes with 5-(trifluoromethyl)dibenzo[b,d]thiophenium tetrafluoroborate, Umemoto’s reagent, as a CF3 source in the presence of [Ru(bpy)3]2+ catalyst (bpy = 2,2’-bipyridine) under visible light irradiation without any additive afforded

• to afford geminal bis(trifluoromethyl)alkenes. Conclusion: A range of multisubstituted CF3-alkenes are easily accessible by photoredox-catalyzed direct C–H trifluoromethylation of alkenes under mild reaction conditions. In particular, trifluoromethylation of triphenylethene derivatives, from which

• synthetically valuable tetrasubstituted CF3-alkenes are obtained, have never been reported so far. Remarkably, the present facile and straightforward protocol is extended to double trifluoromethylation of alkenes. Keywords: electrophilic trifluoromethylating reagent; multi-substituted alkene; photoredox

Organic synthesis using photoredox catalysis

• Axel G. Griesbeck

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 1097–1098, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.107

• Axel G. Griesbeck University of Cologne, Department of Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Greinstr. 4, D-50939 Köln, Germany; Fax: +49 (221) 470 5057 10.3762/bjoc.10.107 Keywords: photoredox catalysis; Natural photosynthesis is a remarkable chemical machinery that enables our life on earth and

• delivers a constant stream of oxygen and organic biomass. We should acknowledge this fact with humbleness, especially because we have not been able yet to mimic this process in a reliable way even after decades of intense research. The basic mechanistic principle behind photosynthesis is photoredox

• synthesis, the principles of photoredox chemistry serve as guidelines, i.e., photoinduced electron transfer (PET) kinetics and thermodynamics as expressed in the Rehm–Weller and Marcus equations. For catalytic versions, the photoinduced redox processes require efficient and robust photocatalysts, and in

On the mechanism of photocatalytic reactions with eosin Y

• Michal Majek,
• Fabiana Filace and
• Axel Jacobi von Wangelin

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 981–989, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.97

• discussed on the basis of pH, solvent polarity, lamp type, absorption properties, and quantum yields. Determination of the latter proved to be an especially valuable tool for the distinction between radical chain and photocatalytic reactions. Keywords: mechanism; organocatalysis; photocatalysis; photoredox

• reactions of activated organic electrophiles [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Despite the numerous examples of efficient catalytic photoredox transformations with organometallic dyes known to date, their high price, toxicity profile, and problematic recyclability might limit their more general use especially on

• larger scales. However, the recent pursuit of environmentally more benign photoactive catalysts has focused on much cheaper metal-free dyes. Several commercially available fluorescein and xanthene dyes have been successfully applied to photoredox reactions, including radical substitutions at α-amino, β

Visible light mediated intermolecular [3 + 2] annulation of cyclopropylanilines with alkynes

• Theresa H. Nguyen,
• Soumitra Maity and
• Nan Zheng

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 975–980, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.96

• Theresa H. Nguyen Soumitra Maity Nan Zheng Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 72701, USA 10.3762/bjoc.10.96 Abstract Intermolecular [3 + 2] annulation of cyclopropylanilines with alkynes is realized using visible light photoredox catalysis

• , yielding a variety of cyclic allylic amines in fair to good yields. This method exhibits significant group tolerance particularly with heterocycles. It can also be used to prepare complex heterocycles such as fused indolines. Keywords: [3 + 2]; alkyne; annulation; cyclopropylaniline; photoredox catalysis

• parent amine. This oxidation step can be realized enzymatically [6][7][8], chemically [9][10][11][12][13][14], electrochemically [15][16], and photochemically [17][18][19][20]. Recently, visible light photoredox catalysis has emerged as a powerful method to manipulate the redox chemistry of organic

Tailoring of organic dyes with oxidoreductive compounds to obtain photocyclic radical generator systems exhibiting photocatalytic behavior

• Christian Ley,
• Julien Christmann,
• Ahmad Ibrahim,
• Luciano H. Di Stefano and
• Xavier Allonas

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 936–947, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.92

• transfer; kinetic; photocatalysis; photochemistry; photocyclic initiating system; photopolymerization; photoredox catalysis; radical generator; Introduction Among the possible usage of light, the conversion of photons into chemical energy, as stored into radicals or ions, is of great interest. As a part

Visible-light-induced, Ir-catalyzed reactions of N-methyl-N-((trimethylsilyl)methyl)aniline with cyclic α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

• Dominik Lenhart and
• Thorsten Bach

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 890–896, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.86

• lactone and lactam substrates, the latter products were the only products isolated. For the six-membered lactones and lactams and for cyclopentenone the simple addition products prevailed. Keywords: cyclization; electron transfer; iridium; photochemistry; photoredox catalysis; radical reactions

• with the aniline as the limiting agent. To our surprise, however, the relative product ratio remained unchanged when the substrate ratio 5/12 = 1.5/1 was decreased to 1/1.5. Mechanistically, it is likely that the well-established photoredox cascade between aniline 5 and the photoexcited iridium complex

Metal and metal-free photocatalysts: mechanistic approach and application as photoinitiators of photopolymerization

• Jacques Lalevée,
• Sofia Telitel,
• Pu Xiao,
• Marc Lepeltier,
• Frédéric Dumur,
• Fabrice Morlet-Savary,
• Didier Gigmes and
• Jean-Pierre Fouassier

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 863–876, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.83

• formerly: University of Haute Alsace/ENSCMu, 3 rue Alfred Werner, 68093 Mulhouse Cedex, France 10.3762/bjoc.10.83 Abstract In the present paper, the photoredox catalysis is presented as a unique approach in the field of photoinitiators of polymerization. The principal photocatalysts already reported as

• -trapping, laser flash photolysis, steady state photolysis, cyclic voltammetry and luminescence experiments. Keywords: LEDs; photoinitiators; photopolymerization; photoredox catalysis; Introduction Photoredox catalysis is now well-known and largely used in organic synthesis, especially in the development

• , potential toxicity and limited availability of these structures, metal-free organic dye compounds (e.g., Eosin-Y, Nile Red, Alizarine Red S, perylene derivative or Rhodamine B etc.) were recently proposed for cooperative asymmetric organophotoredox catalysis [13][14]. Photoredox catalysis was then

Visible-light photoredox catalysis enabled bromination of phenols and alkenes

• Yating Zhao,
• Zhe Li,
• Chao Yang,
• Run Lin and
• Wujiong Xia

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 622–627, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.53

• of phenols and alkenes has been developed utilizing visible light-induced photoredox catalysis. The bromine was generated in situ from the oxidation of Br− by Ru(bpy)33+, both of which resulted from the oxidative quenching process. Keywords: alkenes; bromination; phenols; photoredox catalyst

• . Recently, an intriguing and promising strategy for the application of photoredox catalysts to initiate single electron transfer processes have been developed [16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. Since the pioneering work from the groups of MacMillan [23][24][25], Stephenson [26][27][28], Yoon [29][30][31] and

• others [32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44] demonstrated the usefulness of Ru(bpy)3Cl2 and its application to various visible-light-induced synthetic transformations, visible-light-photoredox catalysis has emerged as a growing field in organic chemistry and has been successfully applied

Recent applications of the divinylcyclopropane–cycloheptadiene rearrangement in organic synthesis

• Sebastian Krüger and
• Tanja Gaich

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 163–193, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.14

• coworker [200] found an intriguing example of a light mediated radical cyclization/arylvinylcyclopropane rearrangement. Subjecting cyclopropyl bromide 237 to an Ir-polypyridyl catalyst and visible light initiated the desired photoredox cascade forming a cyclopropylradical, which readily cyclized in an 5

The renaissance of organic radical chemistry – deja vu all over again

• Corey R. J. Stephenson,
• Armido Studer and
• Dennis P. Curran

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 2778–2780, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.312

• homolytic aromatic substitution (BHAS) [3], b) photoredox catalysis [4][5][6][7][8], c) redox chemistry using Bu4NI in combination with t-BuOOH [9], d) transition metal catalyzed processes where radicals are suggested to interact directly with copper, nickel, zinc, palladium, gold and so on [10][11][12][13

New developments in gold-catalyzed manipulation of inactivated alkenes

• Michel Chiarucci and
• Marco Bandini

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 2586–2614, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.294

• , (i.e. styrene and gem-disubstituted olefins) to be efficiently employed (Scheme 39b) [85]. An innovative approach to the double functionalization of olefins was developed by Glorius and co-workers, very recently. The authors reported on the use of visible light-mediated photoredox catalysis to access

• , the initial anti oxy-auration of the double bond led to the alkylgold intermediate 159, that was oxidized to [Au(II)] 160 via a SET process by the aryl radical formed in the photoredox catalytic cycle. The highly reactive species 160 was promptly oxidized by [Ru(III)(bpy)3]3+ affording the [Au(III

• aryltrimethylsilanes. b) Oxyarylation of alkenes catalyzed by gold in presence of iodine-(III) compound IBA as an external oxidant. Oxy- and amino-arylation of alkenes by [Au(I)]/[Au(III)] photoredox catalysis. Comparison of the catalytic activity of TfOH and PPh3AuOTf in the addition of phenols to alkenes

Recent advances in transition metal-catalyzed Csp²-monofluoro-, difluoro-, perfluoromethylation and trifluoromethylthiolation

• Grégory Landelle,
• Armen Panossian,
• Sergiy Pazenok,
• Jean-Pierre Vors and
• Frédéric R. Leroux

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 2476–2536, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.287

• of N. Kamigata et al. is that the reaction takes place under photoredox catalysis, allowing much milder reaction conditions (23 °C for D. W. C. MacMillan et al. vs 120 °C for N. Kamigata et al.). Higher yields were obtained, especially in the case of pyrroles (2-Rf-pyrrole: 88% yield for D. W. C

• (Figure 16). The mechanism of the reaction was similar to that proposed by N. Kamigata et al. (Figure 15). A complementary study was published by E. J. Cho et al. in 2012 [106]. Here, terminal and internal alkene C–H bonds were trifluoromethylated under photoredox Ru-catalysis, using trifluoromethyl

• analogues in the photoredox catalytic reactions discussed in section 3.3.1. Although also active, the iridium catalysts showed lower selectivity and are more expensive [105][106][107]. A different strategy was simultaneously reported by the groups of J. F. Hartwig and Q. Shen [35][37]. The approach consists

Regioselective 1,4-trifluoromethylation of α,β-unsaturated ketones via a S-(trifluoromethyl)diphenylsulfonium salts/copper system

• Satoshi Okusu,
• Yutaka Sugita,
• Etsuko Tokunaga and
• Norio Shibata

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 2189–2193, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.257

• chalcones. During the preparation of this article, the Nicewicz group showed a single example of conjugate trifluoromethylation of chalcone with sodium trifluoromethanesulfinate salt in the presence of N-methyl-9-mesitylacridinium as a photoredox catalyst resulting in a low product yield of 31% as a mixture

• detected like in the photoredox trifluoromethylation reaction [22]. Conclusion We developed for the first time the copper-mediated conjugate trifluoromethylation of simple α,β-unsaturated ketones through the use of shelf-stable electrophilic trifluoromethylating reagent 3a under mild conditions. Although

The chemistry of amine radical cations produced by visible light photoredox catalysis

• Jie Hu,
• Jiang Wang,
• Theresa H. Nguyen and
• Nan Zheng

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 1977–2001, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.234

• highly sought-after synthetic intermediates including iminium ions, α-amino radicals, and distonic ions. One appealing method to access amine radical cations is through one-electron oxidation of the corresponding amines under visible light photoredox conditions. This approach and subsequent chemistries

• are emerging as a powerful tool in amine synthesis. This article reviews synthetic applications of amine radical cations produced by visible light photocatalysis. Keywords: α-amino radical; amine radical cation; catalysis; distonic ion; free radical; iminium ion; photoredox; visible light

• reduction [33][34]. Since 2008, seminal works from MacMillan, Yoon, and Stephenson have reinvigorated the field of visible light photoredox catalysis [35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42]. The use of amines as both the electron donor and the substrate, rather than just the electron donor, has become a major

Flow photochemistry: Old light through new windows

• Jonathan P. Knowles,
• Luke D. Elliott and
• Kevin I. Booker-Milburn

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2012, 8, 2025–2052, doi:10.3762/bjoc.8.229

• entirely unsuccessful under batch conditions to be conducted [54]. Eosin Y (36) catalysis was also applied to an organocatalytic (42) photoredox α-alkylation of octanal (40, Scheme 15) to aldehyde 43. The reaction proved to be high yielding under both batch and microflow conditions, and a reduced