Visible-light-induced decarboxylative cascade cyclization of acryloylbenzamides with N-hydroxyphthalimide esters via EDA complexes

Abstract

A visible-light-induced decarboxylative cascade reaction of acryloylbenzamides with alkyl N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHP) esters for the synthesis of various 4-alkyl isoquinolinediones mediated by triphenylphosphine (PPh₃) and sodium iodide (NaI) was developed. This operationally simple protocol proceeded via the photoactivation of electron donor–acceptor (EDA) complexes between N-hydroxyphthalimide esters and NaI/PPh₃, resulting in multiple carbon–carbon bond formations without the use of precious metal complexes or synthetically elaborate organic dyes, which provided an alternative practical approach to synthesize diverse isoquinoline-1,3(2H,4H)-dione derivatives.