Photoorganocatalytic Hydroacylation of Unactivated Olefins Utilizing Naphthaloylidenebenzimidazole (NBI) as the Catalyst

Abstract

Selective C–H activation is gaining prominence as a valuable strategy in synthetic chemistry. The metal-free C–H activation of aldehydes to promote the hydroacylation of electron-deficient alkenes offers a promising approach for C–C bond formation. However, achieving selectivity, particularly with α,α-disubstituted aldehydes, remains challenging. In this study, we present a green, cost-effective, and easily reproducible method for the selective hydroacylation of alkenes. This process employs naphthaloylidenebenzimidazole (NBI) as the photocatalyst under blue LED irradiation, yielding products with excellent selectivity and efficiency.

Key words

photocatalysis - organocatalysis - hydroacylation - naphthaloylidenebenzimidazole - hydrogen atom transfer - proton-coupled electron transfer

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