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Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Light-driven Enzymatic Decarboxylation
Published on: May 22, 2016
Visible-Light-Photosensitized Aryl and Alkyl Decarboxylative Functionalization Reactions
Tuhin Patra1, Satobhisha Mukherjee1, Jiajia Ma1
1Organisch-Chemisches Institut, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Corrensstraße 40, 48149, Münster, Germany.
Abstract:
Despite significant progress in aliphatic decarboxylation, an efficient and general protocol for radical aromatic decarboxylation has lagged far behind. Herein, we describe a general strategy for rapid access to both aryl and alkyl radicals by photosensitized decarboxylation of the corresponding carboxylic acids esters followed by their successive use in divergent carbon-heteroatom and carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions. Identification of a suitable activator for carboxylic acids is the key to bypass a competing single-electron-transfer mechanism and "switch on" an energy-transfer-mediated homolysis of unsymmetrical σ-bonds for a concerted fragmentation/decarboxylation process.
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