Chanjuan Xi

The in situ iodination of alcohols and subsequent hydrodeiodination of the formed alkyl iodides to alkanes with NaBH ₄ /I ₂ is described. This protocol does not require phosphorus species and uses inexpensive and commercially available reagents.

The conversion of CO ₂ into value‐added chemicals represents a promising strategy for sustainable synthesis. Herein, we report a natural light‐promoted cyclization of propargylic amides with CO ₂ using commonly used halogenating reagents as both the reaction promoter and halogen source to access 5‐(halomethylene)oxazolidine‐2,4‐diones, which enables the one‐pot construction of C─O, C─N, and C─X bonds. The protocol accommodates a broad range of substrates, and a variety of functional groups are well‐tolerated under mild reaction conditions, providing access to functionalized oxazolidine‐2,4‐diones up to 92% yield as single E isomers. The mechanistic experiments reveal that the reaction may proceed along two pathways, which are the radical pathway ( Path A ) and the halonium pathway ( Path B ). The resulting 5‐(halomethylene)oxazolidine‐2,4‐diones could be further transformed to complex molecules, highlighting the versatility.

A photocatalytic CO ₂ -promoted divergent C(sp ³ )–H carboxylation of benzyl alcohols was developed. This redox-neutral process achieves superior atom economy, transforming simple feedstocks into value-added functionalized acids.

Visible-light-induced dicarboxylation of alkynes with CO ₂ and formate for the synthesis of succinic acids has been developed under mild conditions. Mechanistic experiments proved that the formate enabled the reaction to proceed via CO ₂ ^•−

An efficient photoinduced and metal‐free method for direct α‐C–H monoalkylation of alcohols utilizing the CO₂‐DBU‐system as a hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) catalyst in the presence of water (H₂O) is reported. This protocol allows for selective functionalization of alcohols with a broad substrate scope, demonstrating yields up to 88% in 36 examples. Systematic computational analysis using DFT calculations reveals insights into the mechanism by identifying the key intermediates assembled via intermolecular hydrogen bond between DBU‐CO₂ adduct and alcohol. This strategy opens new avenues for efficient alkylation of ordinary alcohols, offering an environmentally friendly approach to complex molecular synthesis.

The visible-light-induced photoredox-catalyzed dearomative dicarboxylation of (hetero)arenes using formate and CO₂ has been achieved, providing a method for synthesizing dearomative dicarboxylative products with high selectivity and good yields.

A photoinduced Ir/PPh ₃ /H ₂ O system for a selective head-to-head hydrodimerization of activated alkenes has been developed, where the [Ph ₃ P-OH] radical enables the PCET process with activated alkenes to form β-C radical that is rarely reported.

A photoinduced iridium-catalyzed PPh₃/H₂O system for the hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds has been developed, providing a sustainable method for the synthesis of primary alcohols, secondary alcohols, and secondary amines with high atom economy.

A C(sp³)−H bond arylation of aliphatic amides has been achieved via organophotoredox catalysis. The reaction could be realized at room temperature with visible light source and metal‐free catalyst. Quinuclidine is employed as an efficient HAT reagent and a range of aliphatic amides is employed as both substrate and solvent in the reaction. This photocatalyzed transformation provides a convenient protocol to afford a board range of N‐benzyl amides.