A redox potential controlled intermolecular [2 + 2] cross-cycloaddition has been developed in the presence of a thioxanthylium photoredox catalyst. Electron-rich styrenes such as β-bromostyrene (E p/2 = +1.61 V vs SCE) were selectively oxidized by a thioxanthylium photoredox catalyst (E 1/2 (C*/C•–) = +1.76 V vs SCE) to styryl radical cations and reacted with styrene (E p/2 = +1.97 V vs SCE) to furnish polysubstituted cyclobutanes in high yields. The present reaction can be successfully applied to intermolecular [2 + 2] cross-cycloaddition of β-halogenostyrenes, which cannot be effectively achieved by the hitherto reported representative organophotoredox catalysts.

A highly selective one-pot synthesis of polysubstituted isoflavanes has been developed. The reaction proceeds through the cycloaddition of methyl styryl ethers, derived from phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetals under acidic conditions, with electron-withdrawing ortho-quinone methides generated in situ. When phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetals were reacted with salicylaldehydes, the reaction proceeded smoothly to afford the corresponding isoflavanes stereoselectively in high yields and with excellent regioselectivities. The present reaction provides versatile access to functionalized isoflavanes, and constitutes a useful tool for the synthesis of biologically active molecules.