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Updated: Aug 26, 2025

Light-driven Enzymatic Decarboxylation
Published on: May 22, 2016
Visible-light promoted photocatalyst-free aerobic α-oxidation of tertiary amines to amides
Xinpeng Xie1, Xuan Guo1, Kaikai Qiao1
1State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P. R. China. shileichem@dlut.edu.cn.
Abstract:
A photocatalyst-free, visible-light-induced strategy for the α-oxygenation of tertiary amines by molecular oxygen (1 atm), enabled by electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes, has been developed. This EDA-complex mediated process provides a facile access to amides and esters from readily accessible corresponding amines and ethers without the need for an external photoredox catalyst, and also features mild reaction conditions, broad substrate scope and excellent functional group compatibility. Mechanistic studies indicated a short radical chain reaction triggered by the decomposition of EDA complexes upon visible-light irradiation.
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