C-C and C-B Bond Forming Strategies Driven by the Photoexcitation of Organocatalytic Intermediates

Identifier:  TDX:3104

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX3104

Authors:  Mazzarella, Daniele

Abstract:
The main scientific objective of my doctoral studies was to demonstrate that the excited-state reactivity of organocatalytic intermediates could provide new opportunities to develop novel catalytic radical C-C and C-B forming reactions. The photoexcitation of organocatalytic intermediates afforded radicals through either single-electron transfer or homolysis. In Chapter II, I discuss the development of an asymmetric organocatalytic photochemical C-H functionalization of toluene and derivatives. Our system harnesses the enhanced oxidative properties of visible-light excited chiral iminium ions and the basic character of their counteranions to activate, through a multisite proton coupled electron transfer, toluene derivatives. The ensuing radical is later trapped by the chiral organocatalytic intermediate with high stereocontrol. In the second part of my doctoral studies, I focused on the catalytic generation of photolabile thiocarbonyl-based compounds to promote the formation of C-B and C-C bonds. As detailed in Chapter III, we employed a nucleophilic dithiocarbonyl anion organocatalyst to activate alkyl electrophiles through an SN2 pathway. The ensuing photon-absorbing intermediate, upon visible light absorption, generates radicals through homolytic cleavage of the weak C-S bond. The generated radical is then intercepted by bis(catecholato)diboron to afford alkyl boronic ester products. Chapter IV highlights how this photolytic approach was expanded to the activation of acyl and carbamoyl chlorides through a nucleophilic acyl substitution pathway. The photochemically generated acyl and carbamoyl radicals have been used in Giese-type reactions with electron-poor olefins to form new C-C bonds. A detailed mechanistic investigation, based on spectroscopic and electrochemical analyses along with the characterization of key intermediates, identified a variety of off-the-cycle equilibriums that cooperate to control the overall concentrations of the radicals, contributing to the efficiency of the process.