Decatungstate as photoredox catalyst: benzylation of electron-poor olefins

Org Lett. 2012 Aug 17;14(16):4218-21. doi: 10.1021/ol301900p. Epub 2012 Aug 2.

Abstract

Excited tetrabutylammonium decatungstate (TBADT), known to activate a variety of compounds via hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), has now been applied as a photoredox catalyst for the effective oxidative cleavage of benzyl silanes and radical benzylation of reducible olefins occurring in isolated yields from poor to excellent.