Carbon nitride photocatalyzes regioselective aminium radical addition to the carbonyl bond and yields N-fused pyrroles

Abstract

Addition of N-centered radicals to C=C bonds or insertion into C–H bonds is well represented in the literature. These reactions have a tremendous significance, because they afford polyfunctionalized organic molecules. Despite the tetrahydroisoquinoline (THIQ) moiety widely occurring in natural biologically active compounds, N-unsubstituted THIQs as a source of N-centered radicals are not studied. Herein, we report a photocatalytic reaction between tetrahydroisoquinoline and chalcones that gives N-fused pyrroles—1,3-disubstituted-5,6-dihydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines (DHPIQ). The mechanism includes at least two photocatalytic events in one pot: (1) C–N bond formation; (2) C–C bond formation. In this process potassium poly(heptazine imide) is used as a visible light active heterogeneous and recyclable photocatalyst. Fifteen N-fused pyrroles are reported with 65–90% isolated yield. DHPIQs are characterized by UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, while the fluorescence quantum efficiency of fluorinated DHPIQs reaches 24%.Photochemistry offers new means to perform organic chemistry, although these transformations typically require additives. Here, the\xa0authors study reactions between tetrahydroisoquinolines and chalcones under visible light using carbon nitrides for construction of novel fluorescent heterocycles.