Visible-Light-Triggered C-C and C-N Bond Formation by C-S Bond Cleavage of Benzylic Thioethers

Org Lett. 2018 Sep 7;20(17):5247-5250. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.8b02196. Epub 2018 Aug 16.

Abstract

The cleavage of sulfidic C-S bonds under visible-light irradiation was harnessed to generate carbocations under neutral conditions and synthesize valuable di- and triarylalkanes as well as benzyl amines. To this end, photoredox catalysis and direct photoinduced C-S bond cleavage are used as complementary approaches and participate in the versatility of the general strategy. Extensive mechanistic studies have demonstrated the diversity of the reaction mechanism at work in these different reactions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't