Photoinduced Deaminative Alkylation for the Synthesis of γ-Ketoesters via Electron Donor-Acceptor Complex Formation.

Visible-light-induced deaminative alkylation of Katritzky salts with silyl enol ethers has been developed. The reaction can proceed efficiently through electron donor-acceptor complex formation, avoiding the use of precious metal complexes or synthetically elaborate organic dyes. A series of functionalized γ-ketoesters was successfully obtained with good functional group tolerance and compatibility under mild and straightforward conditions.

Transition-metal-free decarboxylative thiolation of stable aliphatic carboxylates.

A transition-metal-free decarboxylative thiolation protocol is reported in which primary, secondary, tertiary (hetero)aryl acetates and α-CN substituted acetates undergo the decarboxylative thiolation smoothly, to deliver a variety of functionalized aryl alkyl sulfides in moderate to excellent yields. Aryl diselenides are also amenable substrates for construction of C-Se bonds under the simple and mild reaction conditions. Moreover, the protocol is successfully applied to the late-stage modification of pharmaceutical carboxylates with satisfactory chemoselectivity and functional-group compatibility.

Visible light-induced palladium-catalyzed ring opening β-H elimination and addition of cyclobutanone oxime esters.

A palladium catalyst under visible light irradiation activates cyclobutanone oxime ester through single electron transfer to induce radical ring opening to generate hybrid cyanoalkyl Pd(i) radical species. Hybrid cyanoalkyl Pd(i) radical species can undergo either β-H elimination to deliver (E)-4-arylbut-3-enenitrile or undergo radical addition with silyl enol ether and enamide to generate δ-cyano ketones. A dual ligand system composed of two phosphine ligands is essential for the high reactivity.

Isonicotinate Ester Catalyzed Decarboxylative Borylation of (Hetero)Aryl and Alkenyl Carboxylic Acids through N-Hydroxyphthalimide Esters.

Decarboxylative borylation of aryl and alkenyl carboxylic acids with bis(pinacolato)diboron was achieved through N-hydroxyphthalimide esters using tert-butyl isonicotinate as a catalyst under base-free conditions. A variety of aryl carboxylic acids possessing different functional groups and electronic properties can be smoothly converted to aryl boronate esters, including those that are difficult to decarboxylate under transition-metal catalysis, offering a new method enabling use of carboxylic acid as building blocks in organic synthesis. Mechanistic analysis suggests the reaction proceeds through coupling of a transient aryl radical generated by radical decarboxylation with a pyridine-stabilized persistent boryl radical.