Visible-light-induced aerobic epoxidation with vitamin B2-based photocatalyst

Org Biomol Chem. 2023 Jun 21;21(24):4955-4961. doi: 10.1039/d3ob00663h.

Abstract

Herein we described the catalytic epoxidation of α,β-enone, with peroxide in situ generated, via a predominant single electron transfer and a minor energy transfer pathway. We use inexpensive natural vitamin B2 (riboflavin, RF) or its simple ester (riboflavin tetraacetate, RFT) as the photocatalysts, commonly used 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-7-undecene (DBU) as both the electron source and organic base, and ambient air as the terminal oxidant, under visible-light irradiation and room temperature.