Visible-Light-Mediated Photocatalytic Difunctionalization of Olefins by Radical Acylarylation and Tandem Acylation/Semipinacol Rearrangement

A novel method for the mild photoredox-mediated tandem radical acylarylation and tandem acylation/semipinacol rearrangement has been developed. The synthesis of highly functionalized ketones bearing all-carbon - or -quaternary centers has been achieved using easily available symmetric aromatic carboxylic anhydrides as the acyl radical source. The method allows for a straightforward introduction of the keto functionality and concomitant construction of molecular complexity in a single operation.