Photoredox-catalyzed radical-radical cross coupling of ketyl radicals with unstabilized primary alkyl radicals

Herein, a novel protocol dealing with the preparation of sterically hindered alcohols has been successfully developed via radical-radical coupling reactions enabled by mild and redox-neutral photocatalysis. With alkylsilicates as the radical precursors, a range of primary alkyl radicals bearing various functional groups could couple with a range of phthalimides and activated ketones. Radical-radical cross-coupling: unstabilized primary alkyl radicals could generally couple with various ketyl radicals derived from phthalimides and activated ketones under redox-neutral photocatalysis.