Discovery of Oxygen α-Nucleophilic Addition to α,β-Unsaturated Amides Catalyzed by Redox-Neutral Organic Photoreductant.

The conjugate additions of oxygen-centered nucleophiles to conjugate acceptors are among the most powerful C-O bond formation reactions. The conjugate addition normally takes place at the β-position carbon to the electron-withdrawing group, resulting in the formation of a stabilized carbanion intermediate that can be quenched by proton or electrophiles to form the β-addition (i.e.