Visible light promoted synthesis of allenes

Abstract

Allenes are attractive structural motifs not only prevalent in natural products, functional materials, and bioactive molecules, but also utilized as important synthetic intermediates in organic synthesis. Owing to the importance of allene molecules in organic synthesis and pharmaceuticals, substantial protocols have been developed to access allenes. Amongst them, visible light induced photoredox catalysis has emerged as a powerful tool for accomplishing the synthesis of allenes under mild reaction conditions. The present review article demonstrates the visible light promoted construction of allenes from substrates including 1,3-enynes, propargylic carbonates, homopropargylic alcohols, propargylic oxalates, alkynyl diazo compounds, and terminal alkynyl aziridines.