Photocatalytic ketone synthesis: recent advances in radical-based approaches from carboxylic acids and derivatives

Abstract

Ketones are widely recognized as privileged structural motifs in organic synthesis due to their unique dual reactivity profile, serving as versatile electrophiles in numerous carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bond-forming transformations. Their ubiquitous presence in pharmacologically active compounds, advanced materials, and agrochemicals further underscores their synthetic importance. Consequently, the design of novel catalytic platforms enabling efficient construction of structurally diverse ketones from readily available precursors represents a significant challenge in contemporary synthetic methodology. Carboxylic acids and derivatives, owing to their natural abundance, low cost, and exceptional structural variability, are an ideal class of starting materials for such transformations. The integration of these compounds with photocatalysis enables their transformation into ketones through radical-based reaction strategies, offering distinct advantages over conventional two-electron reaction systems by circumventing their inherent limitations.