Merging photoredox catalysis with organocatalysis: The direct asymmetric alkylation of aldehydes

David A. Nicewicz, David W.C. MacMillan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2009 Scopus citations

Abstract

Photoredox catalysis and organocatalysis represent two powerful fields of molecule activation that have found widespread application in the areas of inorganic and organic chemistry, respectively. We merged these two catalysis fields to solve problems in asymmetric chemical synthesis. Specifically, the enantioselective intermolecular α-alkylation of aldehydes has been accomplished using an interwoven activation pathway that combines both the photoredox catalyst Ru(bpy)3Cl2 (where bpy is 2,2′-bipyridine) and an imidazolidinone organocatalyst. This broadly applicable, yet previously elusive, alkylation reaction is now highly enantioselective and operationally trivial.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)77-80
Number of pages4
JournalScience
Volume322
Issue number5898
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 3 2008

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General

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