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Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
Published on: November 21, 2017
Photoexcited Nickel(0)-Catalyzed Direct Decarboxylative Cross-Coupling
Jingsheng Li1, Yi Xiao1, Xiaoli Shi1
1Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
None:
Decarboxylative coupling is a key strategy for C─C bond formation in modern synthesis. Despite the abundance and diversity of natural amino acids, their direct decarboxylation remains challenging. Here, we report the direct decarboxylation of amino acids to generate α-aminocarbon radicals and their subsequent cross-coupling, enabled by air-stable nickel(0) complexes under photoexcitation without external photosensitizers. This mild catalytic system shows broad compatibility with diverse amino acids and aromatic functional groups, providing a new approach for their direct decarboxylation and functionalization.
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