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Updated: May 12, 2026

A Microwave-Assisted Direct Heteroarylation of Ketones Using Transition Metal Catalysis
Published on: February 16, 2020
Photoredox activation for the direct β-arylation of ketones and aldehydes
Michael T Pirnot1, Danica A Rankic, David B C Martin
1Merck Center for Catalysis, Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
Abstract:
The direct β-activation of saturated aldehydes and ketones has long been an elusive transformation. We found that photoredox catalysis in combination with organocatalysis can lead to the transient generation of 5π-electron β-enaminyl radicals from ketones and aldehydes that rapidly couple with cyano-substituted aryl rings at the carbonyl β-position. This mode of activation is suitable for a broad range of carbonyl β-functionalization reactions and is amenable to enantioselective catalysis.
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