Recent advances in the photocatalytic synthesis of isoquinoline-1,3-dione derivatives

Isoquinoline-1,3(2H,4H)-diones constitute an important class of nitrogen-containing heterocycles that are broadly distributed in natural products and bioactive pharmaceutical compounds, exhibiting diverse biological activities. In recent years, visible-light photocatalysis has emerged as a powerful and sustainable approach in organic synthesis, offering green, mild, and highly efficient reaction conditions. This review summarises the latest progress in the visible-light-driven synthesis of functionalized isoquinoline-1,3-dione derivatives, with particular emphasis on the photocatalytic cyclization of N-acryloylbenzamides with carbon-, sulfur-, phosphorus-, selenium-, and other radical precursors. The mechanistic features and synthetic applications of key transformations, including alkylation, fluoroalkylation, acylation, arylation, and sulfonylation, are discussed in detail. Finally, the review provides an outlook on current challenges and prospective developments in this rapidly evolving field.