CO<sub>2</sub>‐DBU‐Triggered Photoredox‐Catalyzed Direct α‐C‐H Alkylation of Alcohols
An efficient photoinduced and metal-free method for direct α-C-H monoalkylation of alcohols utilizing the CO<sub>2</sub>-DBU-system as a hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) catalyst in the presence of water (H<sub>2</sub>O) is reported. This protocol allows for selective functionalization of alcohols with a broad substrate scope, demonstrating yields up to 88% in 36 examples. Systematic computational analysis using DFT calculations reveals insights into the mechanism by identifying the key intermediates assembled via intermolecular hydrogen bond between DBU-CO<sub>2</sub> adduct and alcohol. This strategy opens new avenues for efficient alkylation of ordinary alcohols, offering an environmentally friendly approach to complex molecular synthesis.
Authors
- Zongchang Han
- Han‐Shi Hu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9508-1920)
- Chanjuan Xi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9602-7309)
- Yuhao Shang
- Jun Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8456-3980)
- Zeyu Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1357-0146)
Institutions
- Nankai University (CN)
- Tsinghua University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Science
- Published
- 2025-06-09
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202507490
- Citations
- 5
- Primary Topic
- Carbon dioxide utilization in catalysis
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.52
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China