Combining rhodium and photoredox catalysis for C-H functionalizations of arenes: oxidative Heck reactions with visible light

Abstract

Direct, oxidative metal-catalyzed C-H functionalizations of arenes are important in synthetic organic chemistry. Often, (over-)stoichoimetric amounts of organic or inorganic oxidants have to be used in these reactions. The combination of rhodium and photoredox catalysis with visible light allows the direct C-H olefination of arenes. Small amounts (1 mol%) of a photoredox catalyst resulted in the efficient C-H functionalization of a broad range of substrates under mild conditions.

Keywords: CH activation; olefination; oxidative Heck reaction; photoredox catalysis; rhodium catalysis.