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Published on: May 21, 2019
O-Benzyl Xanthate Esters under Ni/Photoredox Dual Catalysis: Selective Radical Generation and Csp3-Csp2
Brandon A Vara1, Niki R Patel1, Gary A Molander1
1Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6323, United States.
Abstract:
Alkyl xanthate esters are perhaps best known for their use in deoxygenation chemistry. However, their use in cross-coupling chemistry has not been productive, which is due, in part, to inadequate xanthate activation strategies. Herein, we report the use of O-benzyl xanthate esters, readily derived from alcohols, as radical pronucleophiles in Csp3-Csp2 cross-couplings under Ni/photoredox dual catalysis. Xanthate (C-O) cleavage is found to be reliant on photogenerated (sec-butyl) radical activators to form new carbon-centered radicals primed for nickel-catalyzed cross-couplings. Mechanistic experiments support the fact that the key radical components are formed independently, and relative rates are carefully orchestrated, such that no cross reactivity is observed.
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