Ligand-Enabled Photocatalytic Reactivity of Iron(III) Halide Salts with Cyan and Green Light

Iron(III) halide salts have emerged as cheap and efficient catalysts for photocatalytic transformations, including C-H alkylation, C-H and alkene oxidation, azidation/amination, and others. The majority of these methods require UV light (λ ≤ 390 nm), and systematic efforts to enable the use of lower-energy visible light remain valuable. We report the use of simple Fe(III) salts that enable C-H functionalizations with longer wavelength visible light up to 525 nm (green light). The one-pot conversion of aldehydes to amides, esters, and ketones as well as direct alkylation are described using blue, cyan, and green light.