Recent Advances in Visible-Light-Mediated Minisci Reactions

N-Heteroarenes are present in a wide variety of natural products, small-molecule drugs, organic materials, and ligands. Therefore, the methods for selective C-H functionalization of N-heteroarenes are highly sought-after for late-stage modification of pharmaceuticals. A useful tool for the synthesis of alkyl-substituted nitrogen-containing aromatic rings is the Minisci reaction, in which a protonated N-heteroarene is attacked by an alkyl radical under oxidative and acidic conditions. Classic Minisci reactions often require the use of excess oxidant, excess acid, and high temperature, which greatly limits the scope of the substrates. With the rapid development of photocatalysis in organic synthesis, in recent years, a variety of photocatalytic Minisci reactions have been reported, and successfully been applied to the synthesis of drugs. In this paper, the visible light mediated Minisci reactions in recent years are briefly reviewed.

Automated summary

N-Heteroarenes are widely present in natural products, small-molecule drugs, organic materials, and ligands, making selective C-H functionalization methods highly sought-after. The Minisci reaction is a useful tool for synthesizing alkyl-substituted nitrogen-containing aromatic rings, and the recent development of photocatalytic Minisci reactions has expanded their scope, successfully applied in drug synthesis.