Vitamin B12-Photo-Catalyzed Dicarbofunctionalization of Bromoalkenes
Vitamin B12-Catalyzed Dicarbofunctionalization of Bromoalkenes Under Visible Light Irradiation: S. Smoleń, A. Wincenciuk, O. Drapała, D. Gryko
Synthesis 2021, 53, DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1706602
Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) is a Co(III) complex used by nature as a cofactor for a number of key enzymatic transformations, which plays a key role in the functioning of living cells. However, vitamin B12 is also increasingly used as a catalyst in organic chemistry, especially in photocatalysis.
Recently, the group of Professor Dorota Gryko (Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland) described the vitamin B12-photocatalyzed cyclization of N-tosyl amines carrying an ω-bromoalkyl and an allyl group, which occurs with subsequent C-dicarbofunctionalization in the presence of acrylic acid derivatives or acrylonitrile, leading to the corresponding cyclic amines.
Professor Gryko said: “We demonstrated that nature native cobalt complex – vitamin B12 – and light as the source of energy can facilitate the synthesis of complex and valuable organic compounds, including pyrrolidines and piperidines.”
