Visible-Light-Mediated, Chemo- and Stereoselective Radical Process for the Synthesis of C-Glycoamino Acids

An approach for efficient synthesis of C-glycosyl amino acids is described. Different from typical photoredox-catalyzed reactions of imines, the new process follows a pathway in which α-imino esters serve as electrophiles in chemoselective addition reactions with nucleophilic glycosyl radicals. The process is highlighted by the mild nature of the reaction conditions, the highly stereoselectivity attending C-C bond formation, and its applicability to C-glycosylations using both armed and disarmed pentose and hexose derivatives.