Building Congested Ketone: Substituted Hantzsch Ester and Nitrile as Alkylation Reagents in Photoredox Catalysis

J Am Chem Soc. 2016 Sep 28;138(38):12312-5. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6b06379. Epub 2016 Sep 14.

Abstract

For the first time, 4-alkyl Hantzsch esters were used to construct molecules with all-carbon quaternary centers by visible light-induced photoredox catalysis via transfer alkylation. Up to a 1500 h(-1) turnover frequency was achieved in this reaction. Reactions of 4-alkyl Hantzsch nitriles as tertiary radical donors joined two contiguous all-carbon quaternary centers intermolecularly, and this chemistry was used to synthesize a common precursor of a class of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't