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Updated: May 16, 2025

Light-driven Enzymatic Decarboxylation
Published on: May 22, 2016
Visible-Light Promoted Iron-Catalyzed C-C Bond Cleavage of 1,2-Diols to Carbonyls
Chunyan Shu1, Jing Wang2, Junying Song2
1School of Life Science and Engineering, School of Chemistry, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
A simple visible-light-promoted iron-catalyzed aerobic oxidative C-C bond cleavage of vicinal diols was developed. This reaction avoids the use of noble metal catalysts or specialized oxidants, yielding aldehydes and ketones without overoxidation. The new method works under air and at room temperature and features mild conditions and simple operation. Notably, the protocol is applicable for complex natural products, achieving the bioinspired conversion of the natural abundant diterpene oridonin to the natural rare enmein-type diterpene.
Related Concept Videos
Preparation of Diols and Pinacol Rearrangement
The reaction begins with transferring a proton from the acid catalyst to one of the hydroxyl groups, producing an oxonium ion.
C–C Bond Cleavage: Retro-Aldol Reaction
In the first step, as depicted in Figure 1, the base deprotonates the β-hydroxy ketone at the hydroxyl group to form an alkoxide ion.
Oxidation of Alkenes: Anti Dihydroxylation with Peroxy Acids
Oxidation of Alkenes: Syn Dihydroxylation with Osmium Tetraoxide
Vicinal Diols via Reductive Coupling of Aldehydes or Ketones: Pinacol Coupling Overview
Radical Formation: Homolysis

