α-Amino Radicals via Photocatalytic Single-Electron Reduction of Imine Derivatives

Abstract

The construction and manipulation of amine-containing architectures is of importance to academic and industrial development and discovery programs. The photochemical single-electron reduction of imine derivatives to generate α-amino radical intermediates has emerged as a powerful umpolung strategy for opening up underexplored routes to such amine motifs. Furthermore, these radicals have been shown to engage in a wide variety of chemistry, including radical-radical coupling, addition to electrophiles, and reductive amination chemistry. The concept has also begun to see application to iminium ion intermediates and the extension to enantiocontrolled C-C bond formation. This Perspective covers recent efforts in this synthetic strategy to simple and complex amine structures alike.