Volume 59, Issue 47 pp. 21121-21128
Research Article

Visible-Light Photoredox-Catalyzed Remote Difunctionalizing Carboxylation of Unactivated Alkenes with CO2

Lei Song

Lei Song

Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu, 610064 P. R. China

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Dong-Min Fu

Dong-Min Fu

College of Chemistry and Institute of Green Catalysis, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001 P. R. China

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Liang Chen

Liang Chen

Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu, 610064 P. R. China

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Yuan-Xu Jiang

Yuan-Xu Jiang

Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu, 610064 P. R. China

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Dr. Jian-Heng Ye

Dr. Jian-Heng Ye

Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu, 610064 P. R. China

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Lei Zhu

Lei Zhu

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030 P. R. China

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Prof. Dr. Yu Lan

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Yu Lan

College of Chemistry and Institute of Green Catalysis, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001 P. R. China

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030 P. R. China

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Dr. Qiang Fu

Dr. Qiang Fu

School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000 P. R. China

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Prof. Dr. Da-Gang Yu

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Da-Gang Yu

Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu, 610064 P. R. China

Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, 100190 P. R. China

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First published: 04 August 2020
Citations: 128

Graphical Abstract

Reported is the first remote difunctionalization of unactivated alkenes with CO2 by visible-light photoredox catalysis. Mechanistic studies indicate that a 1,5-hydrogen atom-transfer process is the rate-limiting step and reduction of radical intermediates generates the corresponding carbanions. Other electrophiles, including aldehydes, ketones, and benzylic bromides, are also applicable in this process, demonstrating a general strategy for redox-neutral remote difunctionalization of unactivated alkenes.

Abstract

Remote difunctionalization of unactivated alkenes is challenging but a highly attractive tactic to install two functional groups across long distances. Reported herein is the first remote difunctionalization of alkenes with CO2. This visible-light photoredox catalysis strategy provides a facile method to synthesize a series of carboxylic acids bearing valuable fluorine- or phosphorus-containing functional groups. Moreover, this versatile protocol shows mild reaction conditions, broad substrate scope, and good functional-group tolerance. Based on DFT calculations, a radical adds to an unactivated alkene to smoothly form a new carbon radical, followed by a 1,5-hydrogen atom-transfer process, the rate-limiting step, generating a more stable benzylic radical. The reduction of the benzylic radicals by an IrII species generates the corresponding benzylic carbanions as the key intermediates, which further undergo nucleophilic attack with CO2 to generate carboxylates.

Conflict of interest

A Chinese Patent on this work has been applied with the number 202010751742.3.

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