Sai Rohini Narayanan Kolusu; Manuel Nappi
Chem. Sci., 2022, 13, 6982-6989
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC01621D

Abstract

Alcohols are among the most widely occurring functional groups found in naturally abundant, biologically-relevant organic compounds, which in many cases are considered feedstock chemicals. Herein, we report a metal-free method for the deoxygenative coupling of alcohol-derived benzoates and pyridines promoted by visible light. Given the practical, mild and water-compatible conditions, small molecules and DNA headpieces can be successfully functionalized with a range of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols. This protocol is distinguished by its wide substrate scope and broad applicability, especially in the context of late-stage functionalization and DNA-drug coupling.