Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 1, 2025

Light-driven Enzymatic Decarboxylation
Published on: May 22, 2016
A visible-light-induced photosensitizer-free decarbonylative Minisci-type reaction
1Division of Nanomaterials and Chemistry, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, People's Republic of China. anwuxu@ustc.edu.cn.
Abstract:
This study presents a green and practical visible-light-induced photosensitizer-free decarbonylative Minisci-type reaction using aldehydes as alkyl radical precursors. The photocatalytic system exhibits a broad substrate scope and synthetically useful yields. Mechanistic experiments revealed that alkyl radicals could be generated through auto-oxidation of aldehydes under irradiation, which is a mild and effective method for achieving late-stage functionalization of N-heteroarenes. Some biologically active N-heteroarenes could be alkylated using this photocatalytic system smoothly.
Related Concept Videos
Cycloaddition Reactions: MO Requirements for Photochemical Activation
Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
Vicinal Diols via Reductive Coupling of Aldehydes or Ketones: Pinacol Coupling Overview
Alkenes via Reductive Coupling of Aldehydes or Ketones: McMurry Reaction
Cycloaddition Reactions: MO Requirements for Thermal Activation
Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution: Elimination–Addition

![[DPEPhosbcpCu]PF6: A General and Broadly Applicable Copper-Based Photoredox Catalyst](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F59739.jpg&w=3840&q=50)