Abstract
Catalytic carboxylation of C–H bonds with CO2 represents an efficient strategy to synthesize highly valuable carboxylic acids from
simple substrates, featuring high atom, step, and redox economies. Recently, our group
was successful in developing a visible-light-driven thiolate-catalyzed carboxylation
of C(sp2)–H bonds in azines with CO2. This strategy provides facile access to a range of valuable N-heteroarene carboxylic
acids from readily available azines. Furthermore, the synthetic potential of this
approach has been demonstrated through the synthesis of bioactive molecules and the
modification of commonly used nitrogen ligands. Mechanistic studies suggest that the
formation of an electron donor–acceptor complex between the thiolate and azine is
a crucial factor in the activation of the azine.
Key words
carbon dioxide - photocatalysis - organocatalysis - carboxylation - C–H bond activation
- carboxylic acids
