Direct Photocatalytic Reductive Amidation of Nitroarenes: A Tandem Reduction–Decarboxylation Approach to Amide Bond Construction

We report a photocatalytic strategy for direct amide synthesis from readily available nitroarenes and benzoylformic acids using flavin as an efficient photocatalyst. This one-pot transformation proceeds through a tandem reduction-decarboxylation-amidation sequence under mild blue light irradiation. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicated that nitrosoarene and <i>N</i>-hydroxyamides could be the key intermediates. The method demonstrates a broad substrate scope, excellent functional group tolerance, and remarkable operational simplicity, as it can be conducted under an ambient atmosphere. Notably, this protocol represents a significant advancement in step economy by directly employing diverse nitroarenes as nitrogen sources, avoiding the need for pre-reduced amine intermediates.