A clean and selective radical homocoupling employing carboxylic acids with titania photoredox catalysis

Abstract

A titania photoredox catalysis protocol was developed for the homocoupling of C-centered radicals derived from carboxylic acids. Intermolecular reactions were generally efficient and selective, furnishing the desired dimers in good yields under mild neutral conditions. Selective cross-coupling with two acids proved unsuccessful. An intra-molecular adaptation enabled macrocycles to be prepared, albeit in modest yields. (Chemical Equation Presented).