Irradiation

Physics

Pathology

Organic chemistry

Reactivity (psychology)

Benzophenone

Selectfluor

Photoredox catalysis

Photocatalysis

Visible spectrum

Surface modification

Catalysis

Physical chemistry

Nuclear physics

Chemistry

Electron paramagnetic resonance

Materials science

Alternative medicine

Alcohol

Nuclear magnetic resonance

Ether

Oxidative phosphorylation

Optoelectronics

Biochemistry

Medicine

Photochemistry

Nature Communications

Considering the synthetic value of introducing active alcoholic hydroxyl group, developing C–H functionalization of alcohols is of significance. Herein, we present a photochemical method that under visible light irradiation, selectfluor can effectively promote the oxidative cross-coupling between alcohols and heteroarenes without the external photocatalysis, achieving the selective α sp 3 C–H arylation of alcohol, even in the presence of ether. The N-F activation of selectfluor under blue LEDs irradiation is evidenced by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) study, which is the key process for the oxidative activation of α sp 3 C–H alcohols. The observed reactivity may have significant implications for chemical transformations.

Visible light-induced direct α C–H functionalization of alcohols