Efficient acceptorless photo-dehydrogenation of alcohols and N-heterocycles with binuclear platinum(ii) diphosphite complexes

Although photoredox catalysis employing Ru(II) and Ir(III) complexes as photocatalysts has emerged as a versatile tool for oxidative C-H functionalization under mild conditions, the need for additional reagents acting as electron donor/scavenger for completing the catalytic cycle undermines the practicability of this approach. Herein we demonstrate that photo-induced oxidative C-H functionalization can be catalysed with high product yields under oxygen-free and acceptorless conditions via inner-sphere atom abstraction by binuclear platinum(II) diphosphite complexes. Both alcohols (51 examples), particularly the aliphatic ones, and saturated N-heterocycles (24 examples) can be efficiently dehydrogenated under light irradiation at room temperature. Regeneration of the photocatalyst by means of reductive elimination of dihydrogen from the in situ formed platinum(III)hydride species represents an alternative paradigm to the current approach in photoredox catalysis.