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Updated: May 13, 2026

Facile Preparation of (2Z,4E)-Dienamides by the Olefination of Electron-deficient Alkenes with Allyl Acetate
Published on: June 21, 2017
Metallaphotoredox-Catalyzed Acceptorless Dehydrogenative Carbonylation Employing Benzylic C─H Bonds as Limiting
Ling Li1, Chuqian Tang1, Guangying Huang1
1State Key Laboratory of Advanced Fiber Materials, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Center For Advanced Low-Dimension Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai, China.
Abstract:
We report a visible light-driven, metallaphotoredox-catalyzed acceptorless dehydrogenative carbonylation of benzylic C─H bonds with carbon monoxide and nucleophiles. Enabled by a long-chain diphosphine ligated nickel(II) bromide complex, this protocol uniquely employs C(sp3)─H bonds as limiting reagents under ambient temperature and CO atmosphere, affording esters and related carbonyls under oxidant-free conditions with H2 as the sole byproduct. The reaction exhibits broad substrate scope, tolerating diverse functional groups and complex bioactive scaffolds. Mechanistic studies are consistent with a pathway involving photoinduced hydrogen atom transfer and nickel-mediated carbonylation.
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