Visible light induced regioselective C-3 thiocyanation of imidazoheterocycles through naphthalimide dye based photoredox catalysis.

A visible light induced C-3 thiocyanation of imidazo[1,2-]pyridines by using a naphthalimide based photoredox catalyst has been reported. Tolerance of electron withdrawing and donating groups at different positions of the imidazo[1,2-]pyridine ring led to a wide substrate accessibility of this method. This methodology is further reproducible with other heterocycles like benzo[]imidazo[2,1-]thiazoles, indoles, azaindoles, and anilines.