DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.6c00984 ISSN: 0022-3263
Visible-Light-Promoted EDA Complex Activation for Synthesis of 3-Cyano-4,5-Dihydropyrroles Under Open-Air Conditions
Gui-Ting Song, Wen-Bin Zong, Chao-Jin Xiao, Li-Sha Zheng, Jia-Yi Chen, Jia Liu, Feng-Lian Qin, Chuan-Hua QuAbstract
We report a catalyst-free, open-air synthetic method for 3-cyano-4,5-dihydropyrroles via photoinduced electron donor–acceptor (EDA) complexes using arylglycines and enones in ethyl acetate under mild conditions. This green method avoids metals and toxic additives, accommodates 35 examples including chromone-fused pyrroles and polycyclic indoles, and scales well. Mechanistic investigations confirm the EDA complex pathway upon light irradiation, showcasing EDA chemistry as a sustainable tool for bioactive heterocycle construction.