Highly Efficient Photochemically Induced Thiyl Radical-Mediated Racemization of Aliphatic Amines at 30 °C

UV irradiation in the presence of thiol enables the performance of highly efficient aliphatic amines racemization, under mild conditions at 30 °C. The reaction proceeds via the reversible generation of prochiral α-aminoalkyl radicals. The latter may result either from a redox process between the thiyl radical and the amine or from direct hydrogen atom abstraction by thiyl radical. As hydrogen atom donor, the thiol plays a crucial role. While the...