Recent Advances in Decarboxylative Functionalization of N-Arylglycines via Photo-and Electro-catalysis: A Green Chemistry Perspective

Abstract

Decarboxylativefunctionalization of N-arylglycines represents a powerful strategy for accessing valuable nitrogen-containing compounds. However, traditional decarboxylation methods often rely on stoichiometric oxidants or harsh conditions, which suffer from poor atom economy, generate inorganic salt byproducts, and exhibit limited functional group compatibility, rendering them inconsistent with modern sustainable synthesis paradigms. By leveraging photoredox or electrocatalysis, these key αaminoalkyl radicals can be generated under mild and green conditions, thereby enabling diverse C-C and C-X (C-C, C-N, C-P, etc.) bond-forming reactions without requiring external chemical oxidants. This review presents a systematic green chemistry-centric survey of 2013-2025 advances in photoredox/electrochemically enabled decarboxylative functionalization of N-arylglycines, focusing on Nheterocycle synthesis, intermolecular bond formation and asymmetric synthetic protocols. The discussion mechanism insights with critical green chemistry evaluations, including catalyst sustainability, solvent benignity, and waste metrics, while highlighting the unique advantages and persistent green chemistry challenges of electrocatalysis relative to photocatalysis. Despite notable progress over the past decade, persistent narrow substrate scope, limited stereocontrol, and scalability barriers are framed within a green chemistry context, emphasizing the need for solutions that balance synthetic utility with environmental responsibility.