Photoinduced arylative formal 4-endo-dig cyclization of propargyl alcohols/amines to access strained heterocycles

Abstract

The development of green and sustainable approaches for the synthesis of small molecules is always in demand. Oxetanes and azetidines are strained heterocycles that possess unique physicochemical properties and exhibit distinctive chemical reactivity. These together prompted us to design a novel synthetic strategy to access them through photo-catalysed annulative formal 4-endo-dig cyclization of propargyl alcohols/amines with benzoquinones. This approach is devoid of any chemical reagent or catalyst and does not require the use of harsh conditions or hazardous solvents, thus qualifying as a green method.