<i>p</i>‐Anisil as a Versatile Catalyst for the <i>E‐to‐Z</i> Photoisomerization of Activated Alkenes ‐ Application in Late‐Stage Modification of Small Molecule Drugs, Di‐ and Tripeptides

Abstract High‐throughput experimentation was employed to discover p ‐Anisil as a highly effective and versatile catalysts for the E‐to‐Z photoisomerization of cinnamic acid derivatives and other activated alkenes. This new catalytic system tolerated a number of functional groups found in medicinal chemistry. The discovery enabled the preparation of previously unknown complex Z ‐alkenes in two steps directly from drugs or peptides.