Self-assembly of decavanadate and Ni(HCO3)2 into nanoparticles anchored on carbon nitride for efficient photocatalytic Minisci-type alkylation

Photocatalysis Minisci-type reactions involving carbon-centered radicals (CCRs) have emerged as a hot and significant topic in the field of organic synthesis chemistry. Herein, we present a nickel-vanadium nanoparticle anchored on carbon nitride catalyst (NiV-CN) and persulfate as a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) precursor. This catalyst enables the photocatalytic Minisci-type CCR alkylation. The nickel-vanadium nanoparticles are synthesized via electrostatic attraction between [V₁₀O₂₈]⁶⁻ anions and Ni(HCO₃)₂, with in situ self-assembly occurring during the hydrothermal process. In the model reaction of 4-methylquinoline with cyclohexane, the NiV-CN catalyst showed high stability, without significant loss its catalytic activity after three cycles. The CCRs was extended to cycloalkanes, adamantanes, and cyclic ethers, which react with quinoline, isoquinoline, and benzothiazole to provide the corresponding products in moderate to excellent yields. Mechanism studies indicate that nickel-vanadium nanoparticles play a crucial role in the formation process of carbon-centered radicals by activating the persulfate precursor into sulfate radicals under visible-light irradiation.