Photosensitized O-2 enables intermolecular alkene cyclopropanation by active methylene compounds

Cyclopropanes are key features in many preclinical, clinical, and commercial drugs, as well as natural products. The most prolific technique for their synthesis is the metal-catalyzed reaction of an alkene with a diazoalkane, a highly energetic reagent requiring stringent safety precautions. Discovery of alternative innocuous reagents remains an ongoing challenge. Herein, we report a simple photoredox-catalyzed intermolecular cyclopropanation of unactivated alkenes with active methylene compounds. The reaction proceeds in neutral solvent under air or dioxygen (O-2) with a photoredox catalyst excited by blue light-emitting diode light and an iodine co-catalyst that is either added as molecular iodine or generated in situ from alkyl iodides. Mechanistic investigations indicate that photosensitized O-2 plays a vital role in the generation of carbon-centered radicals for both the addition of active methylene compounds to alkenes and the ring closure.

Automated summary

In this paper, a simple photoredox-catalyzed intermolecular cyclopropanation of unactivated alkenes with active methylene compounds is reported. The reaction proceeds in neutral solvent under air or dioxygen with a photoredox catalyst excited by blue light-emitting diode light and an iodine co-catalyst. Mechanistic investigations reveal that photosensitized O-2 plays a vital role in the reaction.