H2O/D2O as the only H/D source for photocatalytic phosphine-mediated radical transfer hydrogenation/deuteration of α-aryl imino esters

Abstract

Amino acids, being crucial small molecules, are of significant importance in the organic compound library. Due to their importance, the preparation of amino acids can be further refined. In this context, we introduce a photocatalytic arylphosphine-mediated approach, utilizing water as a cost-effective hydrogen source. Through the concurrent use of HAT reagents, we achieve full exploitation of water for imine hydrogenation under photocatalytic conditions, addressing a research gap in this field.