Oxidative C-H functionalization of dihydrobenzophenanthridines catalyzed by dihydrobenzophenanthridine oxidase (DBOX) is believed to be the key step involved in the biosynthetic pathway of some novel 6-substituted benzophenanthridine alkaloids. In this study, a visible-light promoted biomimetic synthesis of 6-substituted benzophenanthridines was reported under photoredox-neutral conditions. α-Amino radical that derived from dihydrobenzophenanthridines was supposed to be the key intermediate in this visible-light promoted radical-type Michael addition reaction.
Keywords: Benzophenanthridine; biomimetic synthesis; photoredox catalysis; radical addition; visible light.