An approach developed for the direct oxidative amidation of aldehydes with amines is described. This methodology is based on the use of an organic photocatalyst (anthraquinone), molecular oxygen, acting as the sole oxidant, and visible light irradiated by a fluorescent lamp. The photo-oxidative amidation reaction shows broad functional group tolerance.

Carbenes are important and highly reactive intermediates for the synthesis of various complex molecules. They are now an indispensable chemical species in organic chemistry and are used frequently to synthesize complex compounds in drug discovery chemistry. In general, carbenes are synthesized by a combination of transition metal catalysts and diazo compounds or by the decomposition reactions of diazo compounds. This paper reports the development of the visible light for the photochemical generation of carbenes from a novel C,Se-selenonium ylide. Overall, this photochemical carbene generation method using C,Se-selenonium ylide does not require a catalyst, is simple to perform, and enables highly efficient cyclopropanation reactions with alkenes.

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