One-Pot Photomediated Giese Reaction/Friedel–Crafts Hydroxyalkylation/Oxidative Aromatization To Access Naphthalene Derivatives from Toluenes and Enones

Abstract

Value-added chemicals, γ-aryl ketones and naphthalenes, were conveniently synthesized from readily available toluenes and enones through the synergistic combination of photoredox and Lewis acid catalysis. The direct synthesis of γ-aryl ketones represents a rare example of Giese reactions between benzylic C(sp3)–H and enones that avoids the use of prefunctionalized metallic nucleophiles. Naphthalene derivatives were accessed through a one-pot Giese reaction/Friedel–Crafts hydroxyalkylation/oxidative aromatization sequential transformation.