Carboxylation of benzylic and aliphatic C-H bonds with CO2 induced by light/ketone/nickel

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jacs.9b12529

A photoinduced carboxylation reaction of benzylic and aliphatic C-H bonds with CO₂ is developed. Toluene derivatives capture gaseous CO₂ at the benzylic position to produce phenylacetic acid derivatives when irradiated with UV light in the presence of an aromatic ketone, a nickel complex, and potassium tert-butoxide. Cyclohexane reacts with CO₂ to furnish cyclohexanecar-boxylic acid under analogous reaction conditions. The present photoinduced carboxylation reaction provides a direct access from readily available hydrocarbons to the corresponding carboxylic acids with one carbon extension.