Photocatalytic Synthesis of Diarylmethyl Silanes via 1,6-Conjugate Addition of Silyl Radicals to p-Quinone Methides

J Org Chem. 2022 Mar 4;87(5):3567-3576. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.1c03125. Epub 2022 Feb 8.

Abstract

A novel photocatalytic method for the preparation of diarylmethyl silanes was reported through silyl radicals addition strategy to p-QMs (p-quinone methides). This protocol could tolerate a variety of functional groups affording the corresponding silylation products with moderate to excellent yields. The resulting silylation products could be easily converted into a series of bioactive GPR40 agonists and useful p-QMs precursors for the synthesis of compounds possessing both quaternary carbon centers and silicon substituents through simple operation. A plausible mechanism of silyl radicals to p-QMs was proposed on the basis of experimental results and previous literature.