Visible-Light-Driven, Metal-Free Divergent Difunctionalization of Alkenes Using Alkyl Formates

Abstract

In recent decades, difunctionalization of alkenes has received considerable attention as an efficient and straightforward way to increase molecular complexity. However, examples of the difunctionalization of alkenes initiated by the intermolecular addition of alkoxycarbonyl radicals providing substituted alkanoates are still rare. Herein, we present the visible light-driven metal-free divergent difunctionalization of alkenes triggered by the intermolecular addition of alkoxycarbonyl radicals under ambient conditions. Employing alkyl formates as precursors of alkoxycarbonyl radicals and 4CzIPN as the photocatalyst, a variety of substituted alkanoates, including β-alkoxy, β-hydroxy, β-dimethoxymethoxy, and β-formyloxy alkanoates, could be facilely accessed with high functional group tolerance and high efficiency. Moreover, the mechanism study revealed that β-hydroxy alkanoates were generated by a selective decomposition of orthoformates promoted by the N-alkoxyazinium salt.