A transition-metal-free & diazo-free styrene cyclopropanation

Chem Sci. 2019 Aug 28;10(40):9374-9379. doi: 10.1039/c9sc02749a. eCollection 2019 Oct 28.

Abstract

An operationally simple and broadly applicable novel cyclopropanation of styrenes using gem-diiodomethyl carbonyl reagents has been developed. Visible-light triggered the photoinduced generation of iodomethyl carbonyl radicals, able to cyclopropanate a wide array of styrenes with excellent chemoselectivity and functional group tolerance. To highlight the utility of our photocyclopropanation, we demonstrated the late-stage functionalization of biomolecule derivatives.