Catalytic Asymmetric α-Acylation of Tertiary Amines Mediated by a Dual Catalysis Mode: N-Heterocyclic Carbene and Photoredox Catalysis

Cross-coupling reactions are among the most widely utilized methods for C-C bond formation; however, the requirement of preactivated starting materials still presents a major limitation. Methods that take direct advantage of the inherent reactivity of the C-H bond offer an efficient alternative to these methods, negating the requirement for substrate preactivation. In this process, two chemically distinct activation events culminate in the formation of the desired C-C bond with loss of H-2 as the only byproduct. Herein we report the catalytic asymmetric alpha-acylation of tertiary amines with aldehydes facilitated by the combination of chiral N-heterocyclic carbene catalysis and photoredox catalysis.