Metal-free semiconductors for visible-light-induced carbocarboxylation of styrenes with aliphatic redox-active esters and CO2

Abstract

A sustainable system for the carbocarboxylation of olefins with redox-active esters and CO₂via visible-light-induced photoredox catalysis has been developed using metal-free boron carbonitride (BCN) as the photocatalyst. The scheme introduces versatile alkyl groups (including primary, secondary, and tertiary) and CO₂ into the C–C double bond in a fully regioselective manner to produce valuable carboxylic derivatives with excellent yields.