Construction of a visible light-driven hydrocarboxylation cycle of alkenes by the combined use of Rh(i) and photoredox catalysts

Abstract

A visible light driven catalytic cycle for hydrocarboxylation of alkenes with CO₂ was established using a combination of a Rh(I) complex as a carboxylation catalyst and [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ (bpy = 2,2′- bipyridyl) as a photoredox catalyst. Two key steps, the generation of Rh(I) hydride species and nucleophilic addition of π-benzyl Rh(I) species to CO₂, were found to be mediated by light.