Visible-Light-Induced Difunctionalization of Styrenes: Synthesis of N-Hydroxybenzimidoyl Cyanides

A visible-light-induced synthesis of N-hydroxybenzimidoyl cyanides from aromatic terminal alkenes is achieved by using Eosin Y as an organic photoredox catalyst. The process goes via a radical pathway with successive incorporation of two nitrogen atoms, one each from tert-butyl nitrite and ammonium acetate. The final product is achieved by the concomitant installation of an oxime and a nitrile group. DFT calculation supports a biradical pathway and all the proposed steps. A few useful synthetic transformations of N-hydroxybenzimidoyl cyanide are also illustrated.