Visible-Light-Mediated Iminyl Radical Generation from Benzyl Oxime Ether: Synthesis of Pyrroline via Hydroimination Cyclization

The treatment of an O-(4-methoxybenzyl) oxime ether bearing an olefin substituent and 1-chloroanthraquinone (1-Cl-AQN) catalyst in 2-butanone under visible-light irradiation affords pyrroline via an iminyl radical intramolecular hydroimination. Mechanistic studies indicate that iminyl radical generation mainly proceeds by hydrogen abstraction of the photocatalyst from the benzyl position of the oxime. Moreover, the hydrogen atom was identified in circulation from the benzylic position of the substrates between AQN and 2-butanone to quench the carbon radical without requiring any additional reagents.