Photoinduced electron transfer-promoted decarboxylative radical reactions of aliphatic carboxylic acids by organic photoredox system

This feature article covers our efforts to develop a new method for radical reactions of aliphatic carboxylic acids via a photoinduced electron transfer-promoted decarboxylation using an organic photoredox system. Stable, inexpensive, and neutral organic molecules, such as phenanthrene and 1,4-dicyanobenzene, are employed as the photocatalyst to generate alkyl radicals. The photoinduced decarboxylative radical reactions are proven to be useful for reduction, deuteration, addition to C-C, C-N, and C-O double bonds, modification of peptides, cyclization, ring expansion, substitution of dicyanobenzenes, and formation of a carbanion under mild conditions. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.