Light-Driven Organocatalytic Birch Reduction for Late-Stage Drug Modification and sp 3 -Rich Spirocycle Synthesis

The Birch reduction is a cornerstone transformation in synthetic chemistry, yet its widespread application is limited by harsh conditions, poor functional group tolerance, and safety concerns. Recent photochemical strategies have offered milder alternatives but have largely been restricted to polycyclic arenes (Ered ∼ −2.6 V vs SCE) and poorly suited for complex molecules of pharmaceutical relevance. Here, we report a practical organocatalytic system that enables Birch-type reductions of electron-rich benzenes (Ered =

• JA
  Johnson and Johnson

  Award: 0001595
• HE
  HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions

  Award: 101204530
• N
  NextGenerationEU

  Award: P2022RHMCM