Photoexcited Nickel(0)-Catalyzed Direct Decarboxylative Cross-Coupling.

Abstract

Decarboxylative coupling is a key strategy for C─C bond formation in modern synthesis. Despite the abundance and diversity of natural amino acids, their direct decarboxylation remains challenging. Here, we report the direct decarboxylation of amino acids to generate α-aminocarbon radicals and their subsequent cross-coupling, enabled by air-stable nickel(0) complexes under photoexcitation without external photosensitizers. This mild catalytic system shows broad compatibility with diverse amino acids and aromatic functional groups, providing a new approach for their direct decarboxylation and functionalization.