Metal-free, visible-light-promoted oxidative radical cyclization of N-biarylglycine esters: one-pot construction of phenanthridine-6-carboxylates in water

A metal-free, visible-light (blue LED: hν = 425 ± 15 nm) photoredox-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization reaction of N-biarylglycine esters to phenanthridine-6-carboxylates in water under an open air atmosphere at ambient conditions has been developed.