Visible light-induced ruthenium(ii)-catalyzed hydroarylation of unactivated olefins

Abstract

Hydroarylation reactions have emerged as a valuable tool for the direct functionalization of C–H bonds with ideal atom economy. However, common catalytic variants for these transformations largely require harsh reaction conditions, which often translate into reduced selectivites. In contrast, we herein report on a photo-induced hydroarylation of unactivated olefins at room temperature employing a readily available ruthenium(II) catalyst. Our findings include high position- and regio-selectivity and remarkable tolerance of a wide range of functional groups, which further enabled the late-stage diversification.