Deoxygenative Reactions of Aldehydes Catalyzed by Iron Porphyrins

Stereocontrolled radical reactions have emerged as powerful strategies for advancing stereoselective organic synthesis, yet radical transformations employing iron-based catalysts remain rare. Here, we report that iron porphyrins catalyze the deoxygenative transformations of aldehydes, affording alkenes via homocoupling or cyclopropanes through cross-coupling with styrene derivatives. These transformations are proposed to begin with the formation of a β-Fe(III)-alkoxy carbon radical from Fe(II) porphyrin and the aldehyde substrate, followed by a radical coupling and deoxygenation cascade.