Radical cascade processes are invaluable for their ability to rapidly construct complex chiral molecules from simple substrates. However, implementing catalytic asymmetric variants is difficult. Reported herein is a visible‐light‐mediated organocatalytic strategy that exploits the excited‐state reactivity of chiral iminium ions to trigger radical cascade reactions with high enantioselectivity. By combining two sequential radical‐based bond‐forming events, the method converts unactivated olefins and α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes into chiral adducts in a single step. The implementation of an asymmetric three‐component radical cascade further demonstrates the complexity‐generating power of this photochemical strategy.
P. Bonilla, Y. Rey, C. Holden, P. Melchiorre
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed 2018, 57, 12819-12823
DOI:
10.1002/anie.201808183
Observations
* Among the top 10% most downloaded papers in Angewandte Chemie International Edition in the 12 months following online publication.
Join our team to work with renowned researchers, tackle groundbreaking
projects and contribute to meaningful scientific advancements