Photoredox/NHC Dual Catalysis Enabled de Novo Synthesis of α-Amino Acids Derivatives.

Herein, we report a mild and operationally simple photoredox/NHC dual catalysis strategy for the α-carboxylation of tertiary amine C(sp)-H bonds using diethyl pyrocarbonate. This method offers a novel approach for synthesizing α-amino acid derivatives. The protocol features a broad substrate scope, accommodating both N-aryl tetrahydroisoquinolines (THIQ) and -methyl aniline and is scalable to gram quantities. Additionally, it is suitable for the late-stage derivatization of certain pharmaceutical compounds.