Visible-Light-Driven E-selective Semihydrogenation and Its Application in the Treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme

Abstract

A visible-light-driven E-selective semihydrogenation scheme of alkyne compounds was developed for designing and synthesizing glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) inhibitors. In the present study, room-temperature semihydrogenation reactions of various alkyne compounds were successfully achieved under the irradiation of white light. The representative reaction mechanism was decoded through theoretical calculations and deuteration experiments, revealing the critical roles played by [Ir(Cp-Me5)Cl2]2, PdCl2, DPPE and TEOA as photosensitizer, catalyst, ligand, and electron donor, respectively. Our method exhibits excellent E-selectivity and broad functional group compatibility, and demonstrates its practical value by producing pinosylvin and its derivatives with strong inhibitory effects on U87 cells.