Photochemical generation of heteroatom (N, Si, B) or carbon radicals leveraging preinstalled carboxylic acids

In the domain of organic chemistry, radicals derived from elements such as nitrogen, silicon, boron, and carbon have long played an indispensable role as pivotal intermediates in numerous transformations. Consequently, the development of novel methods for the efficient generation of these radicals has received widespread attention. The use of “preinstalled carboxyl groups” as activating moieties for generating the corresponding radicals provides milder conditions, faster reactions, and exceptional functional group compatibility. Radicals formed from the decarboxylation steps not only participate in single photocatalytic transformations but also enable dual catalytic cross-coupling reactions by integrating photocatalysis with other catalytic processes. This review provides an overview of recent advancements in generating N, Si, B, and C radicals through the decarboxylation of preinstalled carboxyl substrates under visible light catalysis.