Enantioselective Addition of Remote Alkyl Radicals to Double Bonds by Photocatalytic Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer (PCET) Deconstruction of Unstrained Cycloalkanols

Abstract

Herein, we report the enantioselective addition of remote alkyl radicals, generated from the ring opening of unstrained cycloalkanols by a proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) process, to 2-acyl imidazoles previously coordinated to a rhodium-based chiral Lewis acid. High yields and enantioselectivites up to 99% are achieved in 1 h. Mechanistic investigations support the formation of the remote alkyl radical by a PCET process, and theoretical studies explain the observed stereochemistry in the addition step.