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[(DPEPhos)(bcp)Cu]PF6: A General and Broadly Applicable Copper-Based Photoredox Catalyst
Published on: May 21, 2019
Direct Access to the Simplest N‑Substituted Pyrroles from Furans Enabled by Tailored Photocatalysts
Hyeonbhin Byeon1, Hojin Hong1, Da Hye Lee1
1Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
N-Methylpyrroles are important motifs in pharmaceuticals and biologically relevant compounds, yet their synthesis commonly relies on direct N-methylation of N-H pyrroles, a process often limited by the instability of pyrrole and the use of toxic alkylating reagents under harsh conditions. Herein, we report a photocatalytic strategy for the direct conversion of readily available furans to N-methylpyrroles. The reaction efficiency was markedly improved compared to the first-generation catalytic protocol through the development of tailored photocatalysts. Combining skeletal editing with continuous-flow photochemistry, this method provides efficient access to N-methylpyrroles under mild conditions while avoiding preformed N-H pyrrole substrates and conventional methylating agents. The utility of the protocol was further demonstrated through the late-stage diversification of structurally complex molecules.
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