Coupling Reaction between Aldehydes and Non-Activated Hydrocarbons via the Reductive Radical-Polar Crossover Pathway

Org Lett. 2020 Feb 7;22(3):1199-1203. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.0c00096. Epub 2020 Jan 15.

Abstract

Herein, we describe the generation of an organochromium-type carbanion species from a non-activated C-H bond and its nucleophilic addition to aldehydes. The catalytic carbanion generation occurred through formal deprotonation of a non-activated C-H bond under mild conditions and did not need the prefunctionalization or anion stabilizing group. Carbon radical intermediates generated by decatungstate photocatalyst-mediated hydrogen abstraction were captured by a chromium salt with the reductive radical-polar crossover reaction to produce organochromium carbanions.