title: Photo-organocatalysis of atom-transfer radical additions to alkenes.
abstract: We have found that an organic molecule as simple as p-anisaldehyde efficiently catalyzes the intermolecular atom-transfer radical addition (ATRA) of a variety of haloalkanes onto olefins, one of the fundamental carbon-carbon bond-forming transformations in organic chemistry. The reaction requires exceptionally mild reaction conditions to proceed, as it occurs at ambient temperature and under illumination by a readily available fluorescent light bulb. Initial investigations support a mechanism whereby the aldehydic catalyst photochemically generates the reactive radical species by sensitization of the organic halides by an energy-transfer pathway.
authors.affiliation: ICIQ-Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia, Avenida Països Catalans 16-43007 Tarragona (Spain) http://www.iciq.org/research/research_group/prof-paolo-melchiorre.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arceo
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montroni
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Melchiorre
keywords: energy transfer; organocatalysis; photochemistry; radicals; synthetic methods