Cover Feature: Decatungstate‐Photocatalyzed Functionalization of α‐Imino Esters for the Preparation of Unnatural α‐Amino Acid Derivatives (ChemCatChem 9/2023)

Abstract

The Cover Feature shows that the excitation of the decatungstate anion with a 390 nm LED lamp enables smooth access to C-centered radicals from aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes, cyclic and acyclic oxygenated compounds, and even cycloalkanes, through a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) step. The photogenerated intermediates in turn react with α-imino esters, finally resulting in the overall hydrofunctionalization of their C=N double bond through the formation of a new C–C linkage. In their Research Article, A. Jorea et al. use this approach to prepare a library of unnatural α-amino acid derivatives; most of the obtained products are (protected) α-hydrazino acids. The authors thank Elena Cassera (University of Pavia) for the realization of the Cover picture. More information can be found in the Research Article by A. Jorea et al.