Deoxygenative coupling of alcohols with aromatic nitriles enabled by direct visible light excitation

A general and practical protocol is presented for visible-light-driven deoxygenative coupling of alcohols with aromatic nitriles in the absence of external photocatalysts. Utilizing a hydroxyl activation strategy with carbon disulfide, this C(sp3)-C(sp2) constructing platform accommodates a broad scope of alcohols and aryl nitriles to deliver various alkyl-substituted arenes. Mechanism studies show that a single electron transfer event between a photoexcited aryl nitrile and a xanthate anion is key to the transformation. A general and practical protocol is presented for visible-light-driven deoxygenative coupling of alcohols with aromatic nitriles in the absence of external photocatalysts.

Automated summary

A general and practical protocol for visible-light-driven deoxygenative coupling of alcohols with aromatic nitriles in the absence of external photocatalysts is presented. The platform utilizes a hydroxyl activation strategy with carbon disulfide and accommodates a broad scope of alcohols and aryl nitriles, delivering various alkyl-substituted arenes. Mechanism studies reveal that a single electron transfer event between a photoexcited aryl nitrile and a xanthate anion is crucial for the transformation.